U.S. patent application number 16/956746 was filed with the patent office on 2020-10-15 for camera package, manufacturing method of camera package, and electronic device.
The applicant listed for this patent is SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION. Invention is credited to HIROYASU MATSUGAI.
Application Number | 20200328248 16/956746 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000004953049 |
Filed Date | 2020-10-15 |
![](/patent/app/20200328248/US20200328248A1-20201015-D00000.png)
![](/patent/app/20200328248/US20200328248A1-20201015-D00001.png)
![](/patent/app/20200328248/US20200328248A1-20201015-D00002.png)
![](/patent/app/20200328248/US20200328248A1-20201015-D00003.png)
![](/patent/app/20200328248/US20200328248A1-20201015-D00004.png)
![](/patent/app/20200328248/US20200328248A1-20201015-D00005.png)
![](/patent/app/20200328248/US20200328248A1-20201015-D00006.png)
![](/patent/app/20200328248/US20200328248A1-20201015-D00007.png)
![](/patent/app/20200328248/US20200328248A1-20201015-D00008.png)
![](/patent/app/20200328248/US20200328248A1-20201015-D00009.png)
![](/patent/app/20200328248/US20200328248A1-20201015-D00010.png)
View All Diagrams
United States Patent
Application |
20200328248 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MATSUGAI; HIROYASU |
October 15, 2020 |
CAMERA PACKAGE, MANUFACTURING METHOD OF CAMERA PACKAGE, AND
ELECTRONIC DEVICE
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a camera package, a
manufacturing method of a camera package, and an electronic device
capable of reducing a manufacturing cost for forming a lens. The
manufacturing method of the camera package according to the present
disclosure includes forming a high-contact angle film around a lens
forming region on an upper side of a transparent substrate that
protects a solid-state imaging element, dropping a lens material in
the lens forming region on the upper side of the transparent
substrate, and molding the dropped lens material by a mold to form
a lens. The present disclosure is applicable to, for example, a
camera package and the like in which a lens is arranged above a
solid-state imaging element.
Inventors: |
MATSUGAI; HIROYASU;
(KANAGAWA, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION |
KANAGAWA |
|
JP |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000004953049 |
Appl. No.: |
16/956746 |
Filed: |
December 21, 2018 |
PCT Filed: |
December 21, 2018 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2018/047188 |
371 Date: |
June 22, 2020 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 27/14625 20130101;
H04N 5/369 20130101; H01L 27/14687 20130101; G03B 17/02 20130101;
G02B 7/02 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01L 27/146 20060101
H01L027/146; H04N 5/369 20060101 H04N005/369; G02B 7/02 20060101
G02B007/02; G03B 17/02 20060101 G03B017/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 28, 2017 |
JP |
2017-254372 |
Claims
1. A manufacturing method of a camera package, comprising: forming
a high-contact angle film around a lens forming region on an upper
side of a transparent substrate that protects a solid-state imaging
element; dropping a lens material in the lens forming region on the
upper side of the transparent substrate; and molding the dropped
lens material by a mold to form a lens.
2. The manufacturing method of the camera package according to
claim 1, wherein the high-contact angle film is a film having a
larger contact angle than a contact angle of the transparent
substrate.
3. The manufacturing method of the camera package according to
claim 1, comprising: forming an adhesion promoter on an upper
surface of the transparent substrate; and forming the high-contact
angle film around the lens forming region on the adhesion
promoter.
4. The manufacturing method of the camera package according to
claim 3, wherein the high-contact angle film is a film having a
larger contact angle than a contact angle of the adhesion
promoter.
5. The manufacturing method of the camera package according to
claim 1, further comprising: forming an anti-reflection film on
upper surfaces of the formed lens and the high-contact angle film
around the lens.
6. A camera package comprising: a solid-state imaging element; a
lens formed on an upper side of a transparent substrate that
protects the solid-state imaging element; and a high-contact angle
film formed around the lens on the upper side of the transparent
substrate.
7. The camera package according to claim 6, wherein the
high-contact angle film is a film having a larger contact angle
than a contact angle of the transparent substrate.
8. The camera package according to claim 6, wherein the
high-contact angle film is formed on the transparent substrate.
9. The camera package according to claim 6, further comprising: an
adhesion promoter on the transparent substrate, wherein the
high-contact angle film and the lens are formed on the adhesion
promoter.
10. The camera package according to claim 6, further comprising: an
IR cut filter on the transparent substrate, wherein the
high-contact angle film and the lens are formed on the IR cut
filter.
11. The camera package according to claim 6, further comprising: an
anti-reflection film on upper surfaces of the high-contact angle
film and the lens.
12. An electronic device comprising: a camera package including a
solid-state imaging element, a lens formed on an upper side of a
transparent substrate that protects the solid-state imaging
element, and a high-contact angle film formed around the lens on
the upper side of the transparent substrate; and a lens module
including one or more substrates with lens arranged above the
camera package.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a camera package, a
manufacturing method of a camera package, and an electronic device,
and especially relates to a camera package, a manufacturing method
of a camera package, and an electronic device capable of reducing a
manufacturing cost for forming a lens.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] As a method of forming a lens on a substrate, an imprinting
technology of pressing a mold against a resin dropped on the
substrate to transfer a mold shape is known. In order to form a
defect-free lens with an excellent yield, a method of forming while
dropping an excessive amount of resin beyond a lens volume so as to
protrude from a mold is generally used. The excessive amount of the
resin is dropped because when the resin is dropped on the
substrate, the resin spreads by its own weight, so that a bulky and
complicated-shaped lens is formed.
[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 suggests a technology of
providing an overflow portion which traps an excessive resin on a
mold so that the excessive resin does not flow to an unnecessary
region.
CITATION LIST
Patent Document
[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
2012-93765
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0005] Dropping the resin more than necessary leads to an increase
in manufacturing cost. Furthermore, when the mold is provided with
the overflow portion, since a size of the mold itself becomes
large, it is not possible to decrease a distance between adjacent
lenses in a case where a plurality of lenses is simultaneously
formed on the substrate, so that a loss of the substrate occurs and
the manufacturing cost increases.
[0006] The present disclosure is achieved in view of such a
situation, and an object thereof is to reduce the manufacturing
cost for forming a lens.
Solutions to Problems
[0007] A manufacturing method of a camera package according to a
first aspect of the present disclosure includes: forming a
high-contact angle film around a lens forming region on an upper
side of a transparent substrate that protects a solid-state imaging
element; dropping a lens material in the lens forming region on the
upper side of the transparent substrate; and molding the dropped
lens material by a mold to form a lens.
[0008] According to the first aspect of the present disclosure, a
high-contact angle film is formed around a lens forming region on
an upper side of a transparent substrate that protects a
solid-state imaging element, a lens material is dropped in the lens
forming region on the upper side of the transparent substrate, and
the dropped lens material is molded by a mold to form a lens.
[0009] A camera package according to a second aspect of the present
disclosure includes: a solid-state imaging element; a lens formed
on an upper side of a transparent substrate that protects the
solid-state imaging element; and a high-contact angle film formed
around the lens on the upper side of the transparent substrate.
[0010] According to the second aspect of the present disclosure, a
solid-state imaging element, a lens formed on an upper side of a
transparent substrate that protects the solid-state imaging
element, and a high-contact angle film formed around the lens on
the upper side of the transparent substrate are provided.
[0011] An electronic device according to a third aspect of the
present disclosure includes: a camera package including a
solid-state imaging element, a lens formed on an upper side of a
transparent substrate that protects the solid-state imaging
element, and a high-contact angle film formed around the lens on
the upper side of the transparent substrate; and a lens module
including one or more substrates with lens arranged above the
camera package.
[0012] According to the third aspect of the present disclosure, a
camera package provided with a solid-state imaging element, a lens
formed on an upper side of a transparent substrate that protects
the solid-state imaging element, and a high-contact angle film
formed around the lens on the upper side of the transparent
substrate; and a lens module including one or more substrates with
lens arranged above the camera package are provided.
[0013] The camera package and the electronic device may be
independent devices or may be modules incorporated in other
devices.
Effects of the Invention
[0014] According to the first to third aspects of the present
disclosure, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost for
forming a lens.
[0015] Note that, the effect is not necessarily limited to the
effect herein described and may be any of the effects described in
the present disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic structure diagram of a camera package
as a semiconductor device to which the present disclosure is
applied.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a system
configuration example of the camera package in FIG. 1.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a view for illustrating a method of forming a lens
resin portion.
[0019] FIG. 4 is a plan view of an upper surface of a protection
substrate.
[0020] FIG. 5 is a view for illustrating another example of a
mold.
[0021] FIG. 6 is a view for illustrating a timing of forming the
lens resin portion.
[0022] FIG. 7 is a view for illustrating a wafer-level lens process
of forming the lens resin portion.
[0023] FIG. 8 is a view for illustrating a wafer-level lens process
of forming the lens resin portion.
[0024] FIG. 9 is a view illustrating a variation of the camera
package in FIG. 1.
[0025] FIG. 10 is a view for illustrating another shape example of
the lens resin portion.
[0026] FIG. 11 is a view for illustrating application to a mold
forming step.
[0027] FIG. 12 is a schematic structural diagram of the camera
package as a semiconductor device to which the present disclosure
is applied.
[0028] FIG. 13 is a view for illustrating a lens forming method of
forming the lens resin portion.
[0029] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view and a plan view of the
mold.
[0030] FIG. 15 is a plan view of the lens resin portion.
[0031] FIG. 16 is a view for illustrating action and effect in a
case where the mold in FIG. 14 is used.
[0032] FIG. 17 is a view for illustrating the action and effect in
a case where the mold in FIG. 14 is used.
[0033] FIG. 18 is a view for illustrating a variation of the mold
in FIG. 14.
[0034] FIG. 19 is a view for illustrating another embodiment of the
mold.
[0035] FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view and a plan view of the
mold in FIG. 19.
[0036] FIG. 21 is a view illustrating a detailed cross-sectional
structure of a solid-state imaging element.
[0037] FIG. 22 is a view for illustrating a manufacturing method of
the camera package.
[0038] FIG. 23 is a view for illustrating the manufacturing method
of the camera package.
[0039] FIG. 24 is a view for illustrating the manufacturing method
of the camera package.
[0040] FIG. 25 is a view for illustrating the manufacturing method
of the camera package.
[0041] FIG. 26 is a view for illustrating the manufacturing method
of the camera package.
[0042] FIG. 27 is a view for illustrating the manufacturing method
of the camera package.
[0043] FIG. 28 is a view for illustrating the manufacturing method
of the camera package.
[0044] FIG. 29 is a view for illustrating the manufacturing method
of the camera package.
[0045] FIG. 30 is a view for illustrating the manufacturing method
of the camera package.
[0046] FIG. 31 is a view for illustrating the manufacturing method
of the camera package.
[0047] FIG. 32 is a view for illustrating the manufacturing method
of the camera package.
[0048] FIG. 33 is a view for illustrating the manufacturing method
of the camera package.
[0049] FIG. 34 is a view for illustrating the manufacturing method
of the camera package.
[0050] FIG. 35 is a view for illustrating the manufacturing method
of the camera package.
[0051] FIG. 36 is a view for illustrating the manufacturing method
of the camera package.
[0052] FIG. 37 is a cross-sectional view of a first configuration
example of the camera module.
[0053] FIG. 38 is a cross-sectional view of a second configuration
example of the camera module.
[0054] FIG. 39 is a cross-sectional view of a third configuration
example of the camera module.
[0055] FIG. 40 is a view for illustrating a manufacturing method of
a stacked lens structure.
[0056] FIG. 41 is a view for illustrating joining of two substrates
with lens in a substrate state.
[0057] FIG. 42 is a view for illustrating a manufacturing method of
the substrate with lens in a substrate state.
[0058] FIG. 43 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration
example of an imaging device as an electronic device to which the
present disclosure is applied.
[0059] FIG. 44 is a view for illustrating a usage example of an
image sensor.
[0060] FIG. 45 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a
schematic configuration of an in-vivo information obtaining
system.
[0061] FIG. 46 is a view illustrating an example of a schematic
configuration of an endoscopic surgery system.
[0062] FIG. 47 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a
functional configuration of a camera head and a CCU.
[0063] FIG. 48 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a
schematic configuration of a vehicle control system.
[0064] FIG. 49 is an illustrative view illustrating an example of
an installation position of a vehicle exterior information
detecting unit and an imaging unit.
MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0065] A mode for carrying out the present disclosure (hereinafter,
referred to as an embodiment) is hereinafter described. Note that,
the description is given in the following order. [0066] 1.
Schematic structure of camera package [0067] 2. System
configuration of camera package [0068] 3. Forming method of lens
resin portion [0069] 4. Forming timing or lens resin portion [0070]
5. Variation [0071] 6. Mold formation [0072] 7. Schematic structure
of camera package in case where high-contact angle film is not used
[0073] 8. Action and effect of mold [0074] 9. Variation of mold
[0075] 10. Another embodiment of mold [0076] 11. Detailed structure
of solid-state imaging element [0077] 12. Manufacturing method of
camera package [0078] 13. Configuration example of camera module
[0079] 14. Direct joining between substrates with lens [0080] 15.
Manufacturing method of substrate with lens [0081] 16. Application
example to electronic device [0082] 17. Application example to
in-vivo information obtaining [0083] system [0084] 18. Application
example to endoscopic surgery system [0085] 19. Application example
to mobile body
[0086] <1. Schematic Structure of Camera Package>
[0087] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic structure of a camera package
as a semiconductor device to which the present disclosure is
applied.
[0088] A camera package 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 converts light or
an electromagnetic wave incident on the device in a direction of an
arrow in the drawing into an electric signal. Hereinafter, in the
present disclosure, a device which converts light into an electric
signal as a target to be converted into the electric signal is
described as an example for convenience.
[0089] The camera package 1 is at least provided with a solid-state
imaging element 13 having a stacked structure of a first structure
11 and a second structure 12, an external terminal 14, a protection
substrate 18 formed above the first structure 11, a lens resin
portion 19 formed on the protection substrate 18, and a
high-contact angle film 20 formed around the lens resin portion 19.
Note that, hereinafter, for convenience, supposing that a side of
an incident surface on which the light is incident on the device is
an upper side and a side on the other surface of the device opposed
to the incident surface is a lower side in FIG. 1, the first
structure 11 is referred to as an upper structure 11 and the second
structure 12 is referred to as a lower structure 12.
[0090] The camera package 1 is formed by bonding a semiconductor
substrate (wafer) forming a part of the upper structure 11, a
semiconductor substrate (wafer) forming a part of the lower
structure 12, and the protection substrate 18 at a wafer level, and
thereafter individualizing the same into individual camera packages
1.
[0091] The upper structure 11 before being individualized is
obtained by forming pixels each of which converts the incident
light into the electric signal on the semiconductor substrate
(wafer). The pixel is provided with, for example, a photodiode (PD)
for performing photoelectric conversion and a plurality of pixel
transistors which controls a photoelectric conversion operation and
an operation of reading a photoelectrically converted electric
signal. The pixel transistor is desirably, for example, a MOS
transistor. The upper structure 11 included in the camera package 1
after the individualization is sometimes referred to as an upper
chip, an image sensor substrate, or an image sensor chip.
[0092] On an upper surface of the upper structure 11, for example,
red (R), green (G), or blue (B) color filters 15 and on-chip lenses
16 are formed. The protection substrate 18 for protecting a
structure of the camera package 1, especially the on-chip lens 16
and the color filter 15, is arranged above the on-chip lens 16. The
protection substrate 18 is, for example, a transparent substrate
such as a glass substrate. When hardness of the protection
substrate 18 is higher than that of the on-chip lens 16, an effect
of protecting the on-chip lens 16 is enhanced.
[0093] On an upper surface of the protection substrate 18, the lens
resin portion 19 formed by molding a resin material as a lens
material into a predetermined shape by imprinting is arranged. The
lens resin portion 19 serves as a lens which refracts the incident
light in a predetermined direction and allows the same to be
incident on a predetermined pixel of the upper structure 11.
Furthermore, the high-contact angle film 20 is formed around the
lens resin portion 19 on the upper surface of the protection
substrate 18. The high-contact angle film 20 is a film in which a
contact angle of the resin material is larger than the contact
angle of the protection substrate 18 when the resin material as the
lens material is dropped at a forming step of the lens resin
portion 19.
[0094] The lower structure 12 before being individualized is
obtained by forming a semiconductor circuit including a transistor
and wiring on the semiconductor substrate (wafer). The lower
structure 12 included in the camera package 1 after the
individualization is sometimes referred to as a lower chip, a
signal processing substrate, or a signal processing chip. On the
lower structure 12, a plurality of external terminals 14 for
electrically connecting to wiring not illustrated outside the
device is formed. The external terminal 14 is, for example, a
solder ball.
[0095] The camera package 1 has a cavity-less structure in which
the protection substrate 18 is fixed above the upper structure 11
or above the on-chip lens 16 via a sealing resin 17 arranged on the
on-chip lens 16. Since hardness of the sealing resin 17 is lower
than that of the protection substrate 18, this may act to alleviate
transmission of a stress applied from outside the camera package 1
to the protection substrate 18 into the device as compared with a
case where the sealing resin is not present.
[0096] Note that, as a structure different from the cavity-less
structure, the camera package 1 may form a cavity structure in
which a column-shaped or wall-shaped structure is formed on the
upper surface of the upper structure 11 and the protection
substrate 18 is fixed to the above-described column-shaped or
wall-shaped structure so as to be carried above the on-chip lens 16
with a void therebetween.
[0097] <2. System Configuration of Camera Package>
[0098] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a system
configuration example of the camera package 1.
[0099] The camera package 1 in FIG. 2 is provided with a pixel
array unit 24 in which a plurality of pixels 31 each including a
photoelectric conversion unit (PD) is arranged in a row direction
and a column direction.
[0100] The pixel array unit 24 is provided with row driving signal
lines 32 for driving the pixels 31 row by row and vertical signal
lines (column reading lines) 33 for reading signals generated as a
result of the photoelectric conversion from a plurality of pixels
31 driven row by row. As illustrated in FIG. 2, a plurality of
pixels 31 arranged in a row direction is connected to one row
driving signal line 32. A plurality of pixels 31 arranged in a
column direction is connected to one vertical signal line 33.
[0101] The camera package 1 is further provided with a row driving
unit 22 and a column signal processing unit 25.
[0102] The row driving unit 22 is provided with, for example, a row
address control unit which determines a position of a row for
driving the pixels, in other words, a row decoder unit, and a row
driving circuit unit which generates a signal for driving the
pixels 31.
[0103] The column signal processing unit 25 is provided with, for
example, a load circuit unit connected to the vertical signal line
33 to form a source follower circuit with the pixel 31.
Furthermore, the column signal processing unit 25 may also be
provided with an amplification circuit unit which amplifies the
signal read from the pixel 31 via the vertical signal line 33.
Moreover, the column signal processing unit 25 may be further
provided with a noise processing unit for removing a noise level of
a system from the signal read from the pixel 31 as a result of the
photoelectric conversion.
[0104] The column signal processing unit 25 is provided with an
analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for converting the signal read
from the pixel 31 or an analog signal subjected to the noise
processing described above into a digital signal. The ADC is
provided with a comparator unit for comparing the analog signal to
be converted with a reference sweep signal to be compared with the
same, and a counter unit for measuring a time until a comparison
result in the comparator unit is inverted. The column signal
processing unit 25 may be further provided with a horizontal
scanning circuit unit which controls to scan a read column.
[0105] The camera package 1 is further provided with a timing
control unit 23. The timing control unit 23 supplies a signal for
controlling a timing to the row driving unit 22 and the column
signal processing unit 25 on the basis of a reference clock signal
and a timing control signal input to the device. Hereinafter, in
the present disclosure, all or a part of the row driving unit 22,
the column signal processing unit 25, and the timing control unit
23 is sometimes simply referred to as a pixel peripheral circuit
unit, a peripheral circuit unit, or a control circuit unit.
[0106] The camera package 1 is further provided with an image
signal processing unit 26. The image signal processing unit 26 is a
circuit which performs various types of signal processing on data
obtained as a result of the photoelectric conversion, in other
words, data obtained as a result of an imaging operation in the
camera package 1. The image signal processing unit 26 includes, for
example, an image signal processing circuit unit and a data holding
unit. The image signal processing unit 26 may be further provided
with a processor unit.
[0107] An example of the signal processing executed by the image
signal processing unit 26 is tone curve correction processing of
increasing gradations in a case where the imaging data subjected to
the AD conversion is data obtained by imaging a dark object, and
decreasing the gradations in a case where this is data obtained by
imaging a bright object. In this case, it is desirable to store
characteristic data of a tone curve on the basis of which the
gradation of the imaging data is corrected in advance in the data
holding unit of the image signal processing unit 26.
[0108] The camera package 1 is further provided with an input unit
21A. The input unit 21A inputs, for example, the above-described
reference clock signal, timing control signal such as a vertical
synchronization signal and a horizontal synchronization signal,
characteristic data to be stored in the data holding unit of the
image signal processing unit 26 and the like from outside the
device to the camera package 1. The input unit 21A is provided with
an input terminal 41 which is the external terminal 14 for
inputting the data to the camera package 1 and an input circuit
unit 42 which captures the signal input to the input terminal 41
into the camera package 1.
[0109] The input unit 21A is further provided with an input
amplitude changing unit 43 which changes amplitude of the signal
captured by the input circuit unit 42 to amplitude which may be
easily utilized in the camera package 1.
[0110] The input unit 21A is further provided with an input data
conversion circuit unit 44 for changing arrangement of a data
sequence of the input data. The input data conversion circuit unit
44 is, for example, a serial/parallel conversion circuit which
receives a serial signal as the input data and converts the same
into a parallel signal.
[0111] Note that, the input amplitude changing unit 43 and the
input data conversion circuit unit 44 are omitted in some
cases.
[0112] In a case where the camera package 1 is connected to an
external memory device such as a flash memory, an SRAM, or a DRAM,
the input unit 21A may be further provided with a memory interface
circuit which receives data from these external memory devices.
[0113] The camera package 1 is further provided with an output unit
21B. The output unit 21B outputs image data imaged by the camera
package 1 and image data subjected to the signal processing by the
image signal processing unit 26 from the camera package 1 to the
outside of the device. The output unit 21B is provided with an
output terminal 48 which is the external terminal 14 for outputting
the data from the camera package 1 to the outside of the device,
and an output circuit unit 47 which is a circuit which outputs the
data from inside the camera package 1 to the outside of the device,
the circuit which drives external wiring outside the camera package
1 connected to the output terminal 48.
[0114] The output unit 21B is further provided with an output
amplitude changing unit 46 which changes the amplitude of the
signal used in the camera package 1 to amplitude which may be
easily utilized by an external device connected to the outside of
the camera package 1.
[0115] The output unit 21B is further provided with an output data
conversion circuit unit 45 which changes arrangement of a data
sequence of the output data. The output data conversion circuit
unit 45 is, for example, a parallel/serial conversion circuit which
converts the parallel signal used in the camera package 1 into a
serial signal.
[0116] The output data conversion circuit unit 45 and the output
amplitude changing unit 46 are omitted in some cases.
[0117] In a case where the camera package 1 is connected to the
external memory device such as the flash memory, SRAM, or DRAM, the
output unit 21B may be further provided with a memory interface
circuit which outputs data to these external memory devices.
[0118] Note that, in the present disclosure, a circuit block
including both or at least one of the input unit 21A and the output
unit 21B is sometimes referred to as an input/output unit 21 for
convenience. Furthermore, a circuit unit including both or at least
one of the input circuit unit 42 and the output circuit unit 47 is
sometimes referred to as an input/output circuit unit 49.
[0119] <3. Forming Method of Lens Resin Portion>
[0120] Next, a method of forming the lens resin portion 19 on the
protection substrate 18 is described with reference to FIG. 3.
[0121] First, contamination on the surface of the protection
substrate 18 illustrated in A of FIG. 3 is removed by UV ozone
cleaning using ultraviolet light (UV) and ozone (O.sub.3), cleaning
using a chemical solution and the like. The cleaning using the
chemical solution may be performed by a cleaning method such as
two-fluid cleaning or brush cleaning by using, for example,
isopropyl alcohol (IPA), ethanol, acetone and the like as the
chemical solution.
[0122] After the cleaning, the high-contact angle film 20 is
patterned on the upper surface of the protection substrate 18 as
illustrated in A of FIG. 3. The patterning of the high-contact
angle film 20 may be performed by lithography, a screen-printing
method, an inkjet printing method and the like. A region in which
the high-contact angle film 20 is formed is a region in which a
lens material 501 to be dropped at a next step is not wanted to be
arranged, in other words, a region other than the lens resin
portion 19 on the protection substrate 18 in FIG. 1. As a material
of the high-contact angle film 20, for example, a fluorine-based
resin, a silicone (Si--CH3)-based resin and the like may be used.
Furthermore, as the material of the high-contact angle film 20, a
material having a function of blocking (absorbing or reflecting)
light may be added or adopted. In this case, it is possible to
simultaneously take measures against flare and ghost by the
high-contact angle film 20.
[0123] Note that, after the surface of the protection substrate 18
is cleaned, before the high-contact angle film 20 is patterned, an
adhesion promoter which improves adhesiveness between the lens
material 501 to be dropped at the next step and the protection
substrate 18 may be formed on an entire upper surface of the
protection substrate 18. A contact angle film of the adhesion
promoter is smaller than that of the high-contact angle film, and
the high-contact angle film is a film having a larger contact angle
also to the adhesion promoter.
[0124] Next, as illustrated in B of FIG. 3, the lens material 501
is dropped in a predetermined region on the protection substrate 18
on which the lens resin portion 19 is formed, specifically, on an
inner side of the region in which the high-contact angle film 20 is
formed. A dropping amount of the lens material 501 is substantially
equal to an amount corresponding to a volume of the lens resin
portion 19 in a completed state. A dropping position of the lens
material 501 may be controlled with high accuracy with respect to
an alignment mark formed in a predetermined position on the
protection substrate 18. The lens material 501 is formed by using,
for example, a resin material cured by ultraviolet light.
[0125] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the upper surface of the protection
substrate 18 after the step of dropping the lens material 501 in B
of FIG. 3.
[0126] A planar shape of the lens resin portion 19 is a circular
shape as illustrated in A of FIG. 4 in some cases or a rectangular
shape as illustrated in B of FIG. 4 in some cases. The high-contact
angle film 20 is formed into a circular or rectangular shape
depending on the planar shape of the lens resin portion 19 which is
wanted to be formed. Since the high-contact angle film 20 is formed
on the upper surface of the protection substrate 18, the dropped
lens material 501 spreads only in a region in which the
high-contact angle film 20 is not formed. Since the lens material
501 does not spread more than necessary in a planar direction, the
lens material 501 corresponding to the volume of the lens resin
portion 19 has a bulky shape, so that a thick lens may also be
formed.
[0127] Returning to FIG. 3, as illustrated in C of FIG. 3, in a
state in which the protection substrate 18 is placed on a chuck 502
of an imprinting device and is absorbed to be fixed thereto, a mold
503 having a concavo-convex shape of the lens resin portion 19
attached to an attaching unit 504 of the imprinting device is
pressed against the lens material 501 at a predetermined speed and
with a predetermined load. Therefore, the concave-convex shape of
the mold 503 is transferred to the lens material 501 dropped onto
the protection substrate 18. A height at which the mold 503 is
pressed against the lens material 501 is controlled according to a
thickness of the lens resin portion 19. A position of the mold 503
in the planar direction is controlled with high accuracy with
reference to an alignment mark formed in a predetermined position
on the protection substrate 18 as is the case with the dropping
position of the lens material 501. A surface of the mold 503 which
comes into contact with the lens material 501 may be subjected to a
mold release treatment in advance so that this may be easily
separated from the cured lens material 501.
[0128] Next, as illustrated in D of FIG. 3, in a state in which the
mold 503 is pressed against the lens material 501, the lens
material 501 is irradiated with ultraviolet light from above the
attaching unit 504 to be cured. The attaching unit 504 and the mold
503 are formed by using an ultraviolet light permeable material.
Note that, the chuck 502 may be formed by using an ultraviolet
permeable material, and the lens material 501 may be irradiated
with ultraviolet light from under the chuck 502 to be cured.
Furthermore, it is possible to use not an ultraviolet curable resin
material but a thermosetting resin material as the lens material
501 to cure the lens material 501 by thermal treatment.
[0129] As illustrated in E of FIG. 3, when the mold 503 is
separated from the lens material 501 after the lens material 501 is
cured, the lens resin portion 19 in FIG. 1 is formed on the
protection substrate 18. The dropping amount of the lens material
501 is substantially equal to the amount corresponding to the
volume of the lens resin portion 19 in the completed state, so that
it is possible to form the lens resin portion 19 controlled with
high accuracy on the high-contact angle film 20 without protrusion
of the lens material 501.
[0130] Note that, in a case where the dropping amount of the lens
material 501 is made slightly larger than the amount corresponding
to the volume of the lens resin portion 19 in the completed state,
a light-shielding film (mask) 505 which does not transmit
ultraviolet light may be formed in a side surface portion on an
outer periphery of the mold 503 as illustrated in FIG. 5.
Therefore, when the mold 503 is pressed against the lens material
501, the lens material 501 protruding outward is not irradiated
with ultraviolet light and may be removed without being cured.
[0131] After mold release illustrated in E of FIG. 3, an
anti-reflection film may be formed on upper surfaces of the lens
resin portion 19 and the high-contact angle film 20 which are
outermost surfaces. Examples of a material of the anti-reflection
film include a silicon oxide film, a silicon nitride film, a
silicon oxynitride film and the like.
[0132] As described above, by forming the high-contact angle film
20 around the lens resin portion 19 on the upper surface of the
protection substrate 18, dropping the lens material 501 inside
thereof, and molding the dropped lens material 501 by the mold 503
to cure, the lens resin portion 19 is formed. By forming the
high-contact angle film 20 around the lens resin portion 19, it is
possible to form a thick lens having a bulky shape with the
dropping amount of the lens material 501 corresponding to the
volume of the lens resin portion 19 in the completed state. Since
there is no need to drop an extra lens material 501 of an amount
equal to or larger than an amount corresponding to the volume of
the lens shape, and it is not necessary to provide an overflow
portion on the mold 503, the mold 503 may be designed to have a
small size. Therefore, a manufacturing cost for forming the lens
may be reduced.
[0133] <4. Formation Timing of Lens Resin Portion>
[0134] FIG. 6 is a view for illustrating a timing at which the
forming step of the lens resin portion 19 described with reference
to FIG. 3 is performed.
[0135] A of FIG. 6 illustrates a method of forming the lens resin
portion 19 on the upper surface of the protection substrate 18 by
the method described with reference to FIG. 3 after arranging the
protection substrate 18 above the solid-state imaging element
13.
[0136] In contrast, B of FIG. 6 illustrates a method of first
forming the lens resin portion 19 on the upper surface of the
protection substrate 18 by the method described with reference to
FIG. 3 and arranging the protection substrate 18 on which the lens
resin portion 19 is formed above the on-chip lenses 16 and the
color filters 15 of the solid-state imaging element 13 at an
arbitrary timing.
[0137] In this manner, it is possible to form the lens resin
portion 19 on the protection substrate 18 already combined with the
solid-state imaging element 13, or form the lens resin portion 19
on the protection substrate 18 alone, and then combine the same
with the solid-state imaging element 13.
[0138] Furthermore, although the lens forming method of forming the
lens resin portion 19 is described focusing on one lens resin
portion 19 in FIG. 3, the method described with reference to FIG. 3
may also be applied to a wafer-level lens process of simultaneously
forming a plurality of lens resin portions 19 in a planar direction
of the protection substrate 18.
[0139] That is, as illustrated in FIG. 7, a large number of lens
resin portions 19 may be formed on a device substrate 552 in block
by an imprinting process using a wafer replica substrate 551 on
which a plurality of molds 503 in FIG. 3 is arranged in the planar
direction.
[0140] Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 8, a method of forming
a large number of lens resin portions 19 on the device substrate
552 by sequentially forming the lens resin portions 19 on the
device substrate 552 by using one mold 503 while changing a
position thereof on the device substrate 552 may also be
adopted.
[0141] The device substrate 552 in FIGS. 7 and 8 is the wafer
substrate in a state in which the protection substrate 18 is formed
above the solid-state imaging element 13 before the lens resin
portion 19 is formed illustrated on an upper stage in A of FIG. 6,
and is a wafer state of the protection substrate 18 before the lens
resin portion 19 is formed in B of FIG. 6.
[0142] <5. Variation>
[0143] FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate a variation of the camera package
1 in FIG. 1.
[0144] In the description with reference to FIG. 3, it is described
that the adhesion promoter for improving the adhesiveness between
the lens material 501 and the protection substrate 18 may be formed
on the entire upper surface of the protection substrate 18.
[0145] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a camera package 1 in a
case where an adhesion promoter is formed on an upper surface of a
protection substrate 18.
[0146] As illustrated in FIG. 9, an adhesion promoter 571 is formed
on an entire upper surface of the protection substrate 18, and a
lens resin portion 19 and a high-contact angle film 20 are formed
thereon.
[0147] The high-contact angle film 20 has a property that a contact
angle is larger than that of the adhesion promoter 571. Therefore,
even in a case where the adhesion promoter 571 is formed on the
entire upper surface of the protection substrate 18, as described
with reference to FIG. 3, it is possible to form the lens resin
portion 19 having a bulky shape with an amount corresponding to a
volume of the lens resin portion 19.
[0148] Note that, in place of the adhesion promoter 571, another
film, for example, an IR cut filter which blocks IR light may be
formed on the camera package 1. Furthermore, the IR cut filter and
the adhesion promoter 571 may be stacked.
[0149] FIG. 10 is a view illustrating an example of another shape
of the lens resin portion 19.
[0150] As the shape of the lens resin portion 19, any shape may be
adopted as long as the shape exerts performance as a lens; for
example, a shape illustrated in FIG. 10 may also be used. A shape
of the mold 503 is also changed according to the shape of the lens
resin portion 19.
[0151] Furthermore, in the camera package 1 in FIG. 10, an
anti-reflection film 572 is formed on an upper surface of the lens
resin portion 19 and an upper surface of the high-contact angle
film 20. As described above, a material which absorbs or reflects
light may be added as a material of the high-contact angle film 20,
or as illustrated in FIG. 10, the anti-reflection film 572 may be
formed on the upper surfaces of the lens resin portion 19 and the
high-contact angle film 20. Therefore, it is possible to suppress
flare and ghost.
[0152] <6. Mold Formation>
[0153] In the above-described example, the case where the
high-contact angle film 20 is utilized at a step of transferring
the concavo-convex shape of the mold 503 to the lens material 501
and molding the lens resin portion 19 is described, but the
formation of the high-contact angle film may be similarly utilized
at a step of forming the mold 503.
[0154] FIG. 11 illustrates an example of the step of forming the
mold 503.
[0155] As illustrated in A of FIG. 11, a light-shielding film 582,
an adhesion promoter 583, and a high-contact angle film 584 are
formed in this order on a substrate 581. The light-shielding film
582 is formed in a region other than a region in which a mold
material 591 which becomes the mold 503 is formed at a step in D of
FIG. 11 to be described later. The adhesion promoter 583 and the
high-contact angle film 584 are formed on an entire surface.
[0156] Next, as illustrated in B and C of FIG. 11, the high-contact
angle film 584 is exposed and etched using a mask 585 on which a
pattern is formed corresponding to a region in which the
high-contact angle film 584 is formed, and the high-contact angle
film 584 is patterned in a desired region. The region in which the
high-contact angle film 584 is formed is a region other than the
region in which the mold 503 is formed as at the step in A of FIG.
3.
[0157] Then, as illustrated in D of FIG. 11, the mold 503 is
manufactured by dropping the material (mold material) 591 for the
mold 503 on an upper surface of the adhesion promoter 583 formed on
the substrate 581, pressing a mold 592 on which the concavo-convex
shape of the mold 503 is transferred against the same to cure.
[0158] At the step of manufacturing the mold 503 described above,
by forming the high-contact angle film 584 in the region other than
the region in which the mold 503 is formed, it is sufficient to
drop the mold material 591 of the amount corresponding to the
volume of the mold 503, so that the mold 503 may be manufactured
efficiently.
[0159] <7. Schematic Structure of Camera Package in Case where
High-Contact Angle Film is not Used>
[0160] Next, a forming method of the lens resin portion 19 in a
case where the high-contact angle film 20 is not used is
described.
[0161] FIG. 12 illustrates a schematic structure of the camera
package 1 in which the high-contact angle film 20 is not
formed.
[0162] A configuration of the camera package 1 in FIG. 12 is
similar to that of the camera package 1 illustrated in FIG. 1
except that the high-contact angle film 20 is not formed around the
lens resin portion 19, so that the description thereof is
omitted.
[0163] With reference to FIG. 13, a lens forming method of forming
the lens resin portion 19 on the protection substrate 18 without
using the high-contact angle film 20 is described.
[0164] Note that, although FIG. 13 illustrates the lens forming
method of forming one lens resin portion 19, the same applies to a
wafer level lens process of simultaneously forming a plurality of
lens resin portions 19 in the planar direction of the protection
substrate 18.
[0165] First, as illustrated in A of FIG. 13, in a state in which
the protection substrate 18 is placed on a chuck 601 and is
adsorbed to be fixed, contamination on the surface of the
protection substrate 18 is removed by UV ozone cleaning using
ultraviolet light (UV) and ozone (O.sub.3), cleaning using a
chemical solution and the like. The cleaning using the chemical
solution may be performed by a cleaning method such as two-fluid
cleaning or brush cleaning by using, for example, isopropyl alcohol
(IPA), ethanol, acetone and the like as the chemical solution.
After the surface of the protection substrate 18 is cleaned, an
adhesion promoter (not illustrated) for improving adhesiveness
between a lens material 602 to be dropped at a next step and the
protection substrate 18 is formed.
[0166] Next, as illustrated in B of FIG. 13, the lens material 602
is dropped at a predetermined position on the protection substrate
18 on which the lens resin portion 19 is formed. A dropping
position of the lens material 602 may be controlled with high
accuracy with reference to an alignment mark formed in a
predetermined position on the protection substrate 18. The lens
material 602 is formed by using, for example, a resin material
cured by ultraviolet light.
[0167] Next, as illustrated in C of FIG. 13, a mold 603 having a
concavo-convex shape of the lens resin portion 19 attached to an
attaching unit 604 of an imprinting device is pressed against the
protection substrate 18 at a predetermined speed and with a
predetermined load. Therefore, the concavo-convex shape of the mold
603 is transferred to the lens material 602 dropped onto the
protection substrate 18. At that time, an abutting portion 611
which is a convex portion the closest to the protection substrate
18 of the mold 603 abuts the protection substrate 18, so that a
distance between (a height from) the attaching unit 604 and (to)
the protection substrate 18 is controlled with high accuracy. A
position of the mold 603 in the planar direction is controlled with
high accuracy with reference to an alignment mark formed in a
predetermined position on the protection substrate 18 as is the
case with the dropping position of the lens material 602. A surface
of the mold 603 which comes into contact with the lens material 602
may be subjected to a mold release treatment in advance so that
this may be easily separated from the cured lens material 602.
[0168] Finally, as illustrated in D of FIG. 13, in a state in which
the mold 603 is pressed against the lens material 602, the lens
material 602 is irradiated with ultraviolet light from above the
attaching unit 604 to be cured, and the lens resin portion 19 is
formed. The mold 603 and the attaching unit 604 are formed by using
a light permeable material. A light-shielding film (mask) 612 which
does not transmit ultraviolet light is formed on an outer
peripheral portion in the planar direction of the mold 603, and the
lens material 602 protruding from the abutting portion 611 is not
irradiated with ultraviolet light. Therefore, the lens material 602
on an outer side of the abutting portion 611 may be removed without
being cured.
[0169] Note that, not an ultraviolet light curable resin material
but a thermosetting resin material may be used as the lens material
602.
[0170] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a plane passing through
the abutting portion 611 of the mold 603, and a plan view (bottom
view) of a lower surface thereof which is a surface pressed against
the lens material 602.
[0171] The mold 603 includes four abutting portions 611, and each
of the four abutting portions 611 is arranged in a position on an
inner side of the outer peripheral portion in plan view. Each
abutting portion 611 is a columnar body having a cylindrical shape.
In the present specification, the columnar body is a column or a
cone having a surface substantially parallel to an abutting
direction as a side surface, and the side surface does not need to
be perpendicular to the protection substrate 18 as an abutment
surface; this may be inclined at a predetermined angle. The
abutting portion 611 may also be a columnar body having a shape of
a prism such as a triangular prism or a quadrangular prism.
Furthermore, the abutting portion 611 may also be a columnar body
having a shape of a polygonal pyramid such as a triangular pyramid
or a quadrangular pyramid, or a conical shape.
[0172] Furthermore, a shape of a tip end of the columnar body which
abuts the protection substrate 18 is arbitrary. In the example in
FIG. 14, when the mold 603 is pressed against the protection
substrate 18, a contact surface on which the protection substrate
18 comes into contact with the abutting portion 611 is a circle in
gray in the bottom view; however, as is described later with
reference to A and B of FIG. 18, the shape of the tip end of the
abutting portion 611 may be configured to come into contact with
the protection substrate 18 at a point.
[0173] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the four abutting portions
611 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of a
planar region of the mold 603, but are not necessarily arranged
symmetrically. However, in consideration of a flow of the lens
material 602 to be described later, they are preferably arranged
symmetrically.
[0174] The number of abutting portions 611 formed on the mold 603
is not limited to four but may be three or more, because it is only
required to control the plane for controlling the height of the
cured lens resin portion 19.
[0175] The light-shielding film 612 is formed on an outer
peripheral portion on an outer side of the four abutting portions
611 as indicated by oblique lines in the bottom view.
[0176] FIG. 15 is a plan view of the lens resin portion 19 after an
excessive lens material 602 is removed after cure treatment.
[0177] In the region of the light-shielding film 612 illustrated in
FIG. 14, the lens material 602 is removed without being cured, so
that the planar shape of the lens resin portion 19 becomes a
rectangular shape as illustrated in FIG. 15. The lens material 602
is not present in four regions 621 corresponding to the four
abutting portions 611 of the mold 603, respectively.
[0178] Note that, in a case where the light-shielding film 612
formed on the mold 603 is formed up to an inner side of the four
abutting portions 611, the planar shape of the lens resin portion
19 is a rectangular shape indicated by a broken line 19', and no
trace of the four regions 621 corresponding to the abutting
portions 611, respectively, remains.
[0179] In the plan views in FIGS. 14 and 15, a lens portion 19L at
the center is a region which exhibits a lens function of refracting
the incident light and allowing the same to be incident on the
pixels of the upper structure 11 out of the cured lens resin
portion 19.
[0180] <8. Action and Effect of Mold>
[0181] In the mold 603 used in the lens forming method in FIG. 13,
a space is formed for the lens material 602 to flow out of the same
in a state in which the abutting portion 611 abuts the protection
substrate 18.
[0182] Furthermore, the space generated between the mold 603 and
the protection substrate 18 in the state in which the abutting
portion 611 abuts the protection substrate 18 is also a space for
the lens material 602 to externally flow in in a case where cure
shrinkage of the lens material 602 occurs.
[0183] An energy-curable resin material cured by energy such as
ultraviolet light or heat shrinks when being cured. According to
the structure of the mold 603 described above, when the lens
material 602 shrinks, as illustrated in A and B of FIG. 16, the
lens material 602 protruding outside is supplied from a gap between
the mold 603 and the protection substrate 18 other than the
abutting portion 611, so that no wrinkle or void is generated in
the lens portion 19L which exhibits the lens function.
[0184] As compared with this, for example, a case where the lens
shape is imprinted using a mold 640 including an abutting portion
641 having a rectangular shape surrounding an entire circumference
as illustrated in A and B of FIG. 17 is considered. The abutting
portion 641 of the mold 640 comes into contact with the protection
substrate 18 on an entire circumference as illustrated in gray in B
of FIG. 17. In a case where the lens material 602 is cured by using
such mold 640 and the lens material 602 shrinks, the lens material
602 is not supplied from outside the abutting portion 641, and the
inner lens material 602 sealed by the abutting portion 641 shrinks,
so that voids and wrinkles due to peeling occur.
[0185] Therefore, by imprinting using the mold 603 of the present
disclosure, the space for the resin material to externally flow in
and out is formed, so that occurrence of wrinkles and voids may be
prevented.
[0186] Furthermore, a distance in a height direction of the
abutting portion 611 of the mold 603 from the protection substrate
18 is controlled by a plane with high accuracy, so that it is
possible to control the lens thickness and shape of the lens resin
portion 19 with high accuracy only by pressing the mold 603 against
the protection substrate 18.
[0187] Therefore, by imprinting by using the mold 603 provided with
the abutting portion 611, it is possible to form the lens resin
portion 19 at a low cost while controlling the lens shape with high
accuracy using a simple device configuration.
[0188] <9. Variation of Mold>
[0189] FIG. 18 illustrates a variation of the mold 603. Note that,
in A to C of FIG. 18, the light-shielding film 612 is not
illustrated.
[0190] The shape of the tip end of the abutting portion 611 of the
mold 603 described above is cylindrical, and it is configured that
the abutting portion 611 comes into contact with the protection
substrate 18 by a circle (plane) when the mold 603 is pressed
against the protection substrate 18.
[0191] In contrast, in a first variation of the mold 603
illustrated in A of FIG. 18, a tip end of an abutting portion 611
has a substantially spherical (hemispherical) shape. When the mold
603 of the first variation is pressed against a protection
substrate 18, a region in which the protection substrate 18 comes
into contact with the abutting portion 611 is a point.
[0192] Furthermore, in a second variation of the mold 603
illustrated in B of FIG. 18, a tip end of an abutting portion 611
has a shape of a polygonal pyramid such as a triangular pyramid.
When the mold 603 of the second variation is pressed against the
protection substrate 18, a region in which the protection substrate
18 comes into contact with the abutting portion 611 is a point.
Note that, the shape may be a conical shape in addition to the
polygonal pyramid shape.
[0193] In this manner, the shape of the tip end of the abutting
portion 611 may be the shape which comes into contact with the
protection substrate 18 at a point.
[0194] Moreover, as illustrated in C of FIG. 18, three or more
abutting portions 611 of the mold 603 may be arranged not for one
lens but for two or more lenses.
[0195] <10. Another Embodiment of Mold>
[0196] Next, another embodiment of the mold 603 is described.
[0197] A mold 603 illustrated in FIG. 19 is provided with an
abutting portion 661 in place of the abutting portion 611 of the
mold 603 illustrated in FIG. 14, and with a light-shielding film
662 in place of the light-shielding film 612 of the mold 603
illustrated in FIG. 14.
[0198] The abutting portion 661 is configured to abut a surface
different from a surface, on which the lens resin portion 19 is
formed, of a substrate 651.
[0199] In FIG. 19, the substrate 651 on which the lens resin
portion 19 is formed has a cavity shape and includes a surface
different in height from the surface on which the lens resin
portion 19 is formed. The abutting portion 661 of the mold 603 is
arranged on the outer peripheral portion of the mold 603 and is
configured to abut a surface on an upper stage than the surface on
which the lens resin portion 19 is formed. The abutting portion 661
controls the height of the lens resin portion 19 by abutting the
surface on the upper stage different from the surface on which the
lens resin portion 19 is formed.
[0200] When the abutting portion 661 abuts the surface on the upper
stage on a higher side of the substrate 651, a space is formed in
which the lens material 602 may flow such that the excessive lens
material 602 flows out of the same or the lens material 602 returns
inside at the time of cure shrinkage between a surface on a lower
stage on a lower side of the substrate 651 having the cavity shape
and the mold 603.
[0201] FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view of the mold 603
illustrated in FIG. 19 and a plan view (bottom view) of a lower
surface thereof which is a surface pressed against the lens
material 602.
[0202] In a case where the substrate 651 (FIG. 19) has a step
between the surface on which the lens resin portion 19 is formed
and a surface of a different height, it is possible to align the
mold 603 and the substrate 651 in the planar direction by using an
inclined surface connecting the surfaces.
[0203] As illustrated in the cross-sectional view and the plan view
of FIG. 20, the mold 603 illustrated in FIG. 19 is provided with
guide portions 671 with tapered shapes formed so as to be in
contact with the inclined surfaces at four corners of the substrate
651, and the guide portions 671 are guided by the inclined surfaces
of the cavity shape of the substrate 651, so that the position of
the mold 603 in the planar direction is controlled. Except for the
four corners of the guide portions 671 of the mold 603, it is
recessed inward (lens portion 19L direction) than the inclined
surfaces of the cavity shape of the substrate 651 such that a void
as a flow path of the lens material 602 is formed.
[0204] <11. Detailed Structure of Solid-State Imaging
Element>
[0205] Next, a detailed structure and a manufacturing method of the
solid-state imaging element 13 of the camera package 1 are
described.
[0206] FIG. 21 is a view illustrating a detailed cross-sectional
structure of the solid-state imaging element 13. In FIG. 21, the
lens resin portion 19 of the camera package 1 is not
illustrated.
[0207] In a portion including the upper structure 11 and above the
same provided in the camera package 1, the pixel array unit 24 on
which a plurality of pixels 31 (FIG. 2) each including the on-chip
lens 16, the color filter 15, the pixel transistor, and the
photodiode 51 is arrayed is arranged. A pixel transistor region 301
is also arranged in a region of the pixel array unit (pixel array
region). The pixel transistor region 301 is a region in which at
least one pixel transistor out of a transfer transistor, an
amplification transistor, and a reset transistor is formed.
[0208] A plurality of external terminals 14 is arranged in a region
on a lower surface of a semiconductor substrate 81 provided on the
lower structure 12 and arranged under the pixel array unit 24
provided on the upper structure 11.
[0209] Note that, in the description of FIG. 21, the "region on the
lower surface of the semiconductor substrate 81 provided on the
lower structure 12 and arranged under the pixel array unit 24
provided on the upper structure 11" is referred to as a first
specific region, and a "region on the upper surface of the
semiconductor substrate 81 provided on a lower structure 12 and
arranged under the pixel array unit 24 provided on the upper
structure 11" is referred to as a second specific region.
[0210] At least a part of the plurality of external terminals 14
arranged in the first specific region is a signal input terminal
14A for inputting a signal from outside to the camera package 1 or
a signal output terminal 14B for outputting a signal from the
camera package 1 to outside. In other words, the signal input
terminal 14A and the signal output terminal 14B are the external
terminals 14 excluding a power supply terminal and a ground
terminal from the external terminals 14. In the present disclosure,
the signal input terminal 14A or the signal output terminal 14B is
referred to as a signal input/output terminal 14C.
[0211] A through via 88 which passes through the semiconductor
substrate 81 is arranged in the first specific region and in the
vicinity of the signal input/output terminals 14C. Note that, in
the present disclosure, a through via hole which passes through the
semiconductor substrate 81 and via wiring formed therein are simply
referred to as the through via 88 in some cases.
[0212] This through via hole desirably has a structure formed by
digging from the lower surface of the semiconductor substrate 81
until a conductive pad 322 (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a
pad for via 322) being a part of a multilayer wiring layer 82 and
serving as a terminal (bottom) of the via hole arranged above the
upper surface of the semiconductor substrate 81.
[0213] The signal input/output terminal 14C arranged in the first
specific region is electrically connected to the through via 88
(more specifically, the via wiring formed in the through via hole)
also arranged in the first specific region.
[0214] The input/output circuit unit 49 provided with the input
circuit unit 42 or the output circuit unit 47 is arranged in the
second specific region and in a region in the vicinity of the
signal input/output terminal 14C and the above-described through
via.
[0215] The signal input/output terminal 14C arranged in the first
specific region is electrically connected to the input/output
circuit unit 49 via the through via 88 and the pad for via 322, or
a part of the multilayer wiring layer 82.
[0216] A region in which the input/output circuit unit 49 is
arranged is referred to as an input/output circuit region 311. On
the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate 81 provided on the
lower structure 12, a signal processing circuit region 312 is
formed to be adjacent to the input/output circuit region 311. The
signal processing circuit region 312 is a region in which the image
signal processing unit 26 described with reference to FIG. 2 is
formed.
[0217] A region in which the pixel peripheral circuit unit
including all or a part of the row driving unit 22 and the column
signal processing unit 25 described with reference to FIG. 2 is
arranged is referred to as a pixel peripheral circuit region 313.
The pixel peripheral circuit region 313 is arranged in a region on
an outer side of the pixel array unit 24 on a lower surface of a
semiconductor substrate 101 provided on the upper structure 11 and
the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate 81 provided on the
lower structure 12.
[0218] The signal input/output terminal 14C may be arranged in a
region under the input/output circuit region 311 arranged on the
lower structure 12, or may be arranged in a region under the signal
processing circuit region 312. Alternatively, the signal
input/output terminal 14C may be arranged under the pixel
peripheral circuit unit such as the row driving unit 22 or the
column signal processing unit 25 arranged on the lower structure
12.
[0219] In the present disclosure, a wiring connecting structure
which connects wiring included in a multilayer wiring layer 102 of
the upper structure 11 and wiring included in the multilayer wiring
layer 82 of the lower structure 12 is sometimes referred to as an
upper/lower wiring connecting structure, and a region in which the
structure is arranged is sometimes referred to as an upper/lower
wiring connecting region 314.
[0220] The upper/lower wiring connecting structure includes a first
through electrode (silicon through electrode) 109 which passes
through the semiconductor substrate 101 from the upper surface of
the upper structure 11 and reaches the multilayer wiring layer 102,
a second through electrode (chip through electrode) 105 which
passes through the semiconductor substrate 101 and the multilayer
wiring layer 102 from the upper surface of the upper structure 11
and reaches the multilayer wiring layer 82 of the lower structure
12, and connecting wiring 106 for connecting the two through
electrodes (through silicon via, TSV). In the present disclosure,
such upper/lower wiring connecting structure is sometimes referred
to as a twin contact structure.
[0221] The upper/lower wiring connecting region 314 is arranged on
an outer side of the pixel peripheral circuit region 313.
[0222] In this embodiment, the pixel peripheral circuit region 313
is formed on both the upper structure 11 and the lower structure
12, but it is also possible to form the same on only one of
them.
[0223] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the upper/lower wiring
connecting region 314 is arranged on an outer side of the pixel
array unit 24 and the outer side of the peripheral circuit region
313, but this may also be arranged on the outer side of the pixel
array unit 24 and on an inner side of the pixel peripheral circuit
region 313.
[0224] Moreover, in this embodiment, as a structure of electrically
connecting the multilayer wiring layer 102 of the upper structure
11 and the multilayer wiring layer 82 of the lower structure 12,
the twin contact structure which connects by using the two through
electrodes of the silicon through electrode 109 and the chip
through electrode 105 is adopted.
[0225] As a structure of electrically connecting the multilayer
wiring layer 102 of the upper structure 11 and the multilayer
wiring layer 82 of the lower structure 12, for example, a share
contact structure in which each of a wiring layer 103 of the upper
structure 11 and a wiring layer 83 of the lower structure 12 is
commonly connected to one through electrode is also possible.
[0226] <12. Manufacturing Method of Camera Package>
[0227] Next, a manufacturing method of the camera package 1 is
described with reference to FIGS. 22 to 36.
[0228] First, the lower structure 12 and the upper structure 11 in
a wafer state are separately manufactured.
[0229] As the lower structure 12, the input/output circuit unit 49
and the multilayer wiring layer 82 which is a part of the row
driving unit 22 or the column signal processing unit 25 are formed
in a region to be each chip unit of the semiconductor substrate 81.
The semiconductor substrate 81 at that time is in a state before
being thinned, and has a thickness of, for example, about 600
.mu.m.
[0230] In contrast, as the upper structure 11, the photodiode 51
and a source/drain region of the pixel transistor of each pixel 31
are formed in a region to be each chip unit of the semiconductor
substrate 101. Furthermore, on one surface of the semiconductor
substrate 101, the multilayer wiring layer 102 forming the row
driving signal line 32, the vertical signal line 33 and the like is
formed. The semiconductor substrate 101 at that time is also in a
state before being thinned, and has a thickness of, for example,
about 600 .mu.m.
[0231] Then, after the multilayer wiring layer 82 side of the lower
structure 12 and the multilayer wiring layer 102 side of the upper
structure 11 in a wafer state manufactured are bonded to face each
other as illustrated in FIG. 22, the semiconductor substrate 101 of
the upper structure 11 is thinned as illustrated in FIG. 23. The
bonding includes, for example, plasma joining and joining with an
adhesive; in this embodiment, the bonding is performed by the
plasma joining. In a case of the plasma joining, a film such as a
plasma TEOS film, a plasma SiN film, a SiON film (block film), or a
SiC film is formed on a joint surface of the upper structure 11 and
the lower structure 12, and the joint surfaces are subjected to
plasma treatment and overlapped, thereafter, subjected to anneal
treatment and both are joined.
[0232] After the semiconductor substrate 101 of the upper structure
11 is thinned, as illustrated in FIG. 24, in a region which becomes
the upper/lower wiring connecting region 314, the silicon through
electrode 109, the chip through electrode 105, and the connecting
wiring 106 for connecting them are formed using a damascene method
and the like.
[0233] Next, as illustrated in FIG. 25, the color filter 15 and the
on-chip lens 16 are formed on the photodiode 51 of each pixel 31
via a flattening film 108.
[0234] Then, as illustrated in FIG. 26, the sealing resin 17 is
applied to an entire surface, on which the on-chip lenses 16 are
formed, of the solid-state imaging element 13 obtained by bonding
the upper structure 11 and the lower structure 12 through a
planarization film 110, and the protection substrate 18 is bonded
thereto to have the cavity-less structure as illustrated in FIG.
27.
[0235] At that time, as described with reference to B of FIG. 6, in
a case where the method of forming the lens resin portion 19 in a
state of the protection substrate 18 alone and then bonding the
same to the solid-state imaging element 13 is adopted, the lens
resin portion 19 is formed on the protection substrate 18.
[0236] In contrast, as described with reference to A of FIG. 6, in
a case where the method of forming the lens resin portion 19 on the
protection substrate 18 after arranging the protection substrate 18
above the solid-state imaging element 13 is adopted, the lens resin
portion 19 is formed on the protection substrate 18 at a
predetermined step after the state illustrated in FIG. 27.
[0237] Next, as illustrated in FIG. 28, after the entire
solid-state imaging element 13 is inverted, the semiconductor
substrate 81 of the lower structure 12 is thinned to a thickness
that does not affect a device characteristic, for example, about 30
to 100 .mu.m.
[0238] Next, as illustrated in FIG. 29, after a photoresist 221 is
patterned so that a position in which the through via 88 (not
illustrated) is arranged on the thinned semiconductor substrate 81
is opened, the semiconductor substrate 81 and a part of an
interlayer insulating film 84 under the same are removed by dry
etching, and an opening 222 is formed.
[0239] Next, as illustrated in FIG. 30, an insulating film
(isolation film) 86 is formed on the entire upper surface of the
semiconductor substrate 81 including the opening 222 by, for
example, a plasma CVD method. The insulating film 86 may be, for
example, a SiO2 film, a SiN film and the like.
[0240] Next, as illustrated in FIG. 31, the insulating film 86 on a
bottom surface of the opening 222 is removed using an etch-back
method, and a wiring layer 83c the closest to the semiconductor
substrate 81 is exposed.
[0241] Next, as illustrated in FIG. 32, a barrier metal film (not
illustrated) and a Cu seed layer 231 are formed by using a
sputtering method. The barrier metal film is a film for preventing
diffusion of a connection conductor 87 (Cu) illustrated in FIG. 33,
and the Cu seed layer 231 serves as an electrode when the
connection conductor 87 is embedded by an electrolytic plating
method. As a material of the barrier metal film, tantalum (Ta),
titanium (Ti), tungsten (W), zirconium (Zr), a nitride film
thereof, a carbonized film thereof and the like may be used. In
this embodiment, titanium is used as the barrier metal film.
[0242] Next, as illustrated in FIG. 33, after forming a resist
pattern 241 in a required region on the Cu seed layer 231, copper
(Cu) as the connection conductor 87 is plated by the electrolytic
plating method. Therefore, the through via 88 is formed and
rewiring 90 is also formed above the semiconductor substrate
81.
[0243] Next, as illustrated in FIG. 34, after the resist pattern
241 is removed, the barrier metal film (not illustrated) and the Cu
seed layer 231 under the resist pattern 241 are removed by wet
etching.
[0244] Next, as illustrated in FIG. 35, after forming a solder mask
91 to protect the rewiring 90, the solder mask 91 is removed only
in the region in which the external terminal 14 is mounted, so that
a solder mask opening 242 is formed.
[0245] Then, as illustrated in FIG. 36, the external terminal 14 is
formed in the solder mask opening 242 by a solder ball mounting
method and the like.
[0246] As described above, according to the manufacturing method of
the solid-state imaging element 13, first, the upper structure 11
(first semiconductor substrate) on which the photodiode 51 for
performing the photoelectric conversion, the pixel transistor
circuit and the like are formed, and the lower structure 12 (second
semiconductor substrate) formed such that the input/output circuit
unit 49 for outputting the pixel signal output from the pixel 31 to
the outside of the camera package 1 is located under the pixel
array unit 24 are bonded such that the wiring layers face each
other. Then, the through via 88 which passes through the lower
structure 12 is formed, and the external terminal 14 electrically
connected to the outside of the camera package 1 via the
input/output circuit unit 49 and the through via 88 is formed.
Therefore, the camera package 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 may be
manufactured.
[0247] <13. Configuration Example of Camera Module>
[0248] A mold to which the present disclosure is applied may be
utilized for forming a mold in a wafer-level lens process of
simultaneously forming a plurality of lenses in a planar direction
of a wafer substrate by imprinting.
[0249] Hereinafter, a configuration of a camera module formed by
using the wafer-level lens process of simultaneously forming a
plurality of lenses in the planar direction of the wafer substrate
is first described, and a step out of a forming step of the camera
module at which the mold of the present disclosure may be used is
next described.
[0250] FIG. 37 is a cross-sectional view of a camera module
700.
[0251] The camera module 700 includes a stacked lens structure
(lens module) 702 in which a plurality of substrates with lens 701a
to 701e is stacked. The stacked lens structure 702 forms one
optical unit 703. Dashed-dotted line 704 represents an optical axis
of the optical unit 703.
[0252] The camera package 1 in FIG. 1 is arranged under the stacked
lens structure 702. The camera package 1 is fixed to the stacked
lens structure 702 via a structural material 740 formed by using,
for example, an epoxy-based resin.
[0253] In the camera module 700, light incident on the camera
module 700 from above is transmitted through the stacked lens
structure 702, and incident on the on-chip lens 16, the color
filter 15, and the photoelectric conversion element such as the
photo diode (not illustrated) formed on the upper structure 11 of
the camera package 1.
[0254] The stacked lens structure 702 is provided with five stacked
substrates with lens 701a to 701e. In a case where the five
substrates with lens 701a to 701e are not especially distinguished
from one another, they are described simply as the substrates with
lens 701.
[0255] Note that, in the example in FIG. 37, the stacked lens
structure 702 has a configuration in which the five substrates with
lens 701a to 701e are stacked, but the number of stacked substrates
with lens 701 may be plural other than five or one.
[0256] Each substrate with lens 701 forming the stacked lens
structure 702 has a configuration in which a lens resin portion 722
is added to a carrier substrate 721. The carrier substrate 721
includes a through-hole 723, and the lens resin portion 722 is
formed on an inner side of the through-hole 723. The lens resin
portion 722 is a portion integrated by a material which forms a
lens portion including a site which extends to the carrier
substrate 721 to carry the lens portion.
[0257] Note that, in a case where the carrier substrates 721, the
lens resin portions 722, or the through-holes 723 of the substrates
with lens 701a to 701e are distinguished from each other, it is
described as the carrier substrate 721a to 81e, the lens resin
portions 722a to 82e, or the through-holes 723a to 83e
corresponding to the substrates with lens 701a to 41e as
illustrated in FIG. 37.
[0258] A cross-sectional shape of the through-hole 723 of each
substrate with lens 701 forming the stacked lens structure 702 has
a so-called downward tapered shape in which an opening width
decreases downward.
[0259] A diaphragm plate 731 is arranged on the stacked lens
structure 702. The diaphragm plate 731 is provided with, for
example, a layer formed by using a material having a light
absorbing or light shielding property. The diaphragm plate 731 is
provided with an opening 732.
[0260] The stacked lens structure 702, the camera package 1, the
diaphragm plate 731 and the like are accommodated in a lens barrel
751.
[0261] As described above, the camera package 1 in FIG. 1 may form
the camera module 700 in combination with the stacked lens
structure 702 in which the plurality of substrates with lens 701 is
stacked.
[0262] Furthermore, the camera module 700 may also have a
configuration in which the camera package 1 illustrated in FIG. 10
and the stacked lens structure 702 are combined as illustrated in
FIG. 38, or a configuration in which the camera package 1
illustrated in FIG. 12 and the stacked lens structure 702 are
combined.
[0263] Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 39, the camera module 700
may have a configuration of a compound eye camera module in which
the stacked lens structure 702 is provided with a plurality of
optical units 703, and the camera package 1 is provided with a
plurality of light receiving regions corresponding to the plurality
of optical units 703.
[0264] Note that, in the camera package 1 of the camera module 700
illustrated in FIG. 39, a configuration in which the sealing resin
17 embedded between the on-chip lens 16 and the protection
substrate 18 and the lens resin portion 19 and the high-contact
angle film 20 formed on the upper surface of the protection
substrate 18 are omitted is adopted.
[0265] In the example in FIG. 39, a plurality of optical units 703
formed in the stacked lens structure 702 has the same
configuration, but may have different configurations in some cases.
That is, the plurality of optical units 703 may have configurations
with different optical parameters due to a difference in shape and
the number of the lens resin portions 722. For example, the
plurality of optical units 703 may be the optical unit 703 having a
short focal length for imaging a near view and the optical unit 703
having a long focal length for imaging a distant view.
[0266] FIG. 40 is a view for illustrating a manufacturing method of
manufacturing the stacked lens structure 702 described with
reference to FIGS. 37 to 39 in a substrate state.
[0267] First, as illustrated in A of FIG. 40, a substrate with lens
701W-e in a substrate state located in a lowermost layer in the
stacked lens structure 702 is prepared. Note that, the substrate
with lens 701W-e represents the substrate state (wafer state)
before the substrate with lens 701e is individualized. As for
substrates with lens 701W-a to 701W-d in the substrate state to be
described later, they similarly represent the substrate state
(wafer state) before the substrates with lens 701a to 701e are
individualized.
[0268] Next, as illustrated in B of FIG. 40, the substrate with
lens 701W-d in the substrate state located in a second lowest layer
in the stacked lens structure 702 is joined on the substrate with
lens 701W-e in the substrate state.
[0269] Next, as illustrated in C of FIG. 40, the substrate with
lens 701W-c in the substrate state located in a third lowest layer
in the stacked lens structure 702 is joined on the substrate with
lens 701W-d in the substrate state.
[0270] Next, as illustrated in D of FIG. 40, the substrate with
lens 701W-b in the substrate state located in a fourth lowest layer
in the stacked lens structure 702 is joined on the substrate with
lens 701W-c in the substrate state.
[0271] Next, as illustrated in E of FIG. 40, the substrate with
lens 701W-a in the substrate state located in a fifth lowest layer
in the stacked lens structure 702 is joined on the substrate with
lens 701W-b in the substrate state.
[0272] Finally, as illustrated in F of FIG. 40, a diaphragm plate
731W located on the substrate with lens 701a in the stacked lens
structure 702 is joined on the substrate with lens 701W-a in the
substrate state. The diaphragm plate 731W represents the substrate
state (wafer state) before the diaphragm plate 731 is
individualized.
[0273] As described above, the five substrates with lens 701W-a to
701W-e in the substrate state are sequentially stacked one by one
from the lower-layer substrate with lens 701W to the upper-layer
substrate with lens 701W in the stacked lens structure 702, so that
the stacked lens structure 702W in the substrate state is
obtained.
[0274] Note that, it is also possible to form the stacked lens
structure 702W in the substrate state by sequentially stacking one
by one from the upper-layer substrate with lens 701W to the
lower-layer substrate with lens 701W.
[0275] <14. Direct Joining Between Substrates with Lens>
[0276] FIG. 41 is a view for illustrating joining between the
substrate with lens 701W-a in the substrate state and the substrate
with lens 701W-b in the substrate state as an example of joining
two substrates with lens 701W in the substrate state.
[0277] Note that, in FIG. 41, a portion of the substrate with lens
701W-b corresponding to each portion of the substrate with lens
701W-a is assigned with the same reference numeral as that of the
substrate with lens 701W-a to be described.
[0278] An upper surface layer 801 is formed on an upper surface of
the substrate with lens 701W-a and that of the substrate with lens
701W-b. A lower surface layer 802 is formed on a lower surface of
the substrate with lens 701W-a and that of the substrate with lens
701W-b. Then, as illustrated in A of FIG. 41, an entire lower
surface including a rear flat portion 812 of the substrate with
lens 701W-a and an entire upper surface including a front flat
portion 811 of the substrate with lens 701W-b which are surfaces to
be joined of the substrates with lens 701W-a and 701W-a are
subjected to plasma activation treatment. Gas used for the plasma
activation treatment may be any gas such as O2, N2, He, Ar, and H2
as long as the gas may be used for plasma treatment. However, when
the same gas as a constituent element of the upper surface layer
801 and the lower surface layer 802 is used as the gas used for the
plasma activation treatment, alteration of films of the upper
surface layer 801 and the lower surface layer 802 may be preferably
suppressed.
[0279] Then, as illustrated in B of FIG. 41, the rear flat portion
812 of the substrate with lens 701W-a and the front flat portion
811 of the substrate with lens 701W-b in an activated surface state
are bonded to each other.
[0280] By a bonding process of the substrates with lens, hydrogen
bonding occurs between hydrogen of an OH group on the surface of
the lower surface layer 802 of the substrate with lens 701W-a and
hydrogen of an OH group on the surface of the upper surface layer
801 of the substrate with lens 701W-b. Therefore, the substrate
with lens 701W-a and the substrate with lens 701W-b are fixed. This
bonding process between the substrates with lens may be performed
under atmospheric pressure conditions.
[0281] Anneal treatment is performed on the substrate with lens
701W-a and the substrate with lens 701W-b subjected to the
above-described bonding process. Furthermore, dehydration
condensation occurs from a state in which the OH groups are
hydrogen bonded, and covalent bonding through oxygen is formed
between the lower surface layer 802 of the substrate with lens
701W-a and the upper surface layer 801 of the substrate with lens
701W-b. Alternatively, an element contained in the lower surface
layer 802 of the substrate with lens 701W-a and an element
contained in the upper surface layer 801 of the substrate with lens
701W-b are covalently bonded. By the bonding, the two substrates
with lens are firmly fixed. In this manner, when the covalent
bonding is formed between the lower surface layer 802 of the
substrate with lens 701W arranged on the upper side and the upper
surface layer 801 of the substrate with lens 701W arranged on the
lower side, and the two substrates with lens 701W are fixed by
this, this is referred to as direct joining in this specification.
Since the direct joining according to the present disclosure does
not use a resin when fixing a plurality of substrates with lens
701W, this brings an action or an effect that a plurality of
substrates with lens 701W may be fixed without causing cure
shrinkage or thermal expansion by this.
[0282] The above-described anneal treatment may also be performed
under atmospheric pressure conditions. This anneal treatment
performs dehydration condensation, so that this may be performed at
100.degree. C. or higher, 150.degree. C. or higher, or 200.degree.
C. or higher. In contrast, this anneal treatment may performed at
400.degree. C. or lower, 350.degree. C. or lower, or 300.degree. C.
or lower from the viewpoint of protecting an energy-curable resin
for forming the lens resin portion 722 from heat and viewpoint of
suppressing degassing from the energy-curable resin.
[0283] In a case where the bonding process of the substrates with
lens 701W described above or the direct joining process of the
substrates with lens 701W described above is performed under a
condition other than the atmospheric pressure, when the joined
substrate with lens 701W-a and substrate with lens 701W-b are
returned to an atmospheric environment, a pressure difference
occurs between a space between the joined lens resin portions 722
and the outside of the lens resin portion 722. Due to this pressure
difference, a pressure is applied to the lens resin portion 722,
and there is a concern that the lens resin portion 722 is
deformed.
[0284] Performing both the bonding process of the substrates with
lens 701W described above or the direct joining process of the
substrates with lens 701W described above under the atmospheric
pressure condition brings an action or effect of avoiding
deformation of the lens resin portion 722 which might occur in a
case where the joining is performed under the condition other than
the atmospheric pressure.
[0285] By directly joining the substrates subjected to the plasma
activation treatment, in other words, by plasma joining, for
example, fluidity and thermal expansion as in a case of using a
resin as an adhesive may be suppressed, so that it is possible to
improve positional accuracy when joining the substrate with lens
701W-a and the substrate with lens 701W-b.
[0286] As described above, the upper surface layer 801 or the lower
surface layer 802 is formed on the rear flat portion 812 of the
substrate with lens 701W-a and on the front flat portion 811 of the
substrate with lens 701W-b. On the upper surface layer 801 and the
lower surface layer 802, a dangling bond is easily formed by the
plasma activation treatment performed earlier. That is, the lower
surface layer 802 formed on the rear flat portion 812 of the
substrate with lens 701W-a and the upper surface layer 801 formed
on the front flat portion 811 of the substrate with lens 701W-b
also serve to increase joint strength.
[0287] Furthermore, in a case where the upper surface layer 801 or
the lower surface layer 802 is formed by using an oxide film, this
is not affected by a film quality change by plasma (O2), so that
this also has an effect of suppressing corrosion by plasma for the
lens resin portion 722.
[0288] As described above, the substrate with lens 701W-a in the
substrate state in which a plurality of substrates with lens 701a
is formed and the substrate with lens 701W--in the substrate state
in which a plurality of substrates with lens 701b is formed are
directly joined after being subjected to the surface activation
treatment by plasma, in other words, joined by plasma joining.
[0289] The same applies to a case where the other two substrates
with lens 701W in the substrate state are joined.
[0290] <15. Manufacturing Method of Substrate with Lens>
[0291] Next, a manufacturing method of the substrate with lens 701W
in the substrate state is described with reference to FIG. 42.
[0292] First, as illustrated in A of FIG. 42, a carrier substrate
721W in which a plurality of through-holes 723 is formed is
prepared. On a side wall of the through-hole 723, a light-shielding
film 911 for preventing light reflection is formed. In FIG. 42,
only two through-holes 723 are illustrated due to space
limitations, but a large number of through-holes 723 are actually
formed in a planar direction of the carrier substrate 721W.
Furthermore, an alignment mark (not illustrated) for alignment is
formed in a region near an outer periphery of the carrier substrate
721W.
[0293] The front flat portion 811 on an upper side of the carrier
substrate 721W and the rear flat portion 812 on a lower side are
flat surfaces formed to be flat enough for the above-described
plasma joining. A thickness of the carrier substrate 721W also
serves as a spacer for determining a distance between lenses when
this is finally individualized as the substrate with lens 701 and
overlapped with another substrate with lens 701.
[0294] For the carrier substrate 721W, a base material having a low
thermal expansion coefficient of 10 ppm/.degree. C. or smaller is
preferably used.
[0295] Next, as illustrated in B of FIG. 42, the carrier substrate
721W is arranged on a mold substrate 921 on which a plurality of
concave molds 922 is arranged at regular intervals. More
specifically, the rear flat portion 812 of the carrier substrate
721W and a flat surface 923 of the mold substrate 921 are
overlapped such that the concave mold 922 is located on an inner
side of the through-hole 723 of the carrier substrate 721W. The
mold 922 of the mold substrate 921 is formed so as to one-to-one
correspond to the through-hole 723 of the carrier substrate 721W,
and positions in the planar direction of the carrier substrate 721W
and the mold substrate 921 are adjusted such that the centers of
the corresponding mold 922 and through-hole 723 coincide in an
optical axis direction. The mold substrate 921 is formed by using a
hard mold member, and is formed by using, for example, metal,
silicon, quartz, or glass.
[0296] Next, as illustrated in C of FIG. 42, an energy-curable
resin 931 is filled (dropped) into a space between the mold
substrate 921 and the through-hole 723 of the carrier substrate
721W overlapped. The lens resin portion 722 is formed by using the
energy-curable resin 931. Therefore, it is preferable that the
energy-curable resin 931 is previously subjected to defoaming
treatment so as not to include bubbles. The defoaming treatment is
preferably vacuum defoaming treatment or defoaming treatment by
centrifugal force. Furthermore, it is preferable that the vacuum
defoaming treatment is performed after filling. By performing the
defoaming treatment, the lens resin portion 722 may be molded
without involving bubbles.
[0297] Next, as illustrated in D of FIG. 42, a mold substrate 941
is arranged on the overlapped mold substrate 921 and carrier
substrate 721W. A plurality of concave molds 942 is arranged at
regular intervals on the mold substrate 941, and the mold substrate
941 is arranged after alignment with high accuracy such that the
center of the through-hole 723 and the center of the mold 942
coincide in the optical axis direction as is the case where the
mold substrate 921 is arranged. The mold substrate 941 is formed by
using a hard mold member, and is formed by using, for example,
metal, silicon, quartz, or glass.
[0298] As for a height direction being a longitudinal direction on
a paper surface, the position of the mold substrate 941 is fixed
such that an interval between the mold substrate 941 and the mold
substrate 921 becomes a distance determined in advance by a control
device which controls the interval between the mold substrate 941
and the mold substrate 921. At that time, a space between the mold
942 of the mold substrate 941 and the mold 922 of the mold
substrate 921 is equal to a thickness of the lens resin portion 722
calculated by optical design.
[0299] Alternatively, as illustrated in E of FIG. 42, as is the
case where the mold substrate 921 is arranged, a flat surface 943
of the mold substrate 941 and the front flat portion 811 of the
carrier substrate 721W may be overlapped. In this case, the
distance between the mold substrate 941 and the mold substrate 921
is the same as the thickness of the carrier substrate 721W, and
alignment with high accuracy in the planar direction and the height
direction may be performed.
[0300] When it is controlled such that the interval between the
mold substrate 941 and the mold substrate 921 is the distance set
in advance, at a step in C of FIG. 42 described above, a filling
amount of the energy-curable resin 931 dropped in the through-hole
723 of the carrier substrate 721W is an amount controlled so as not
to overflow from a space surrounded by the through-hole 723 of the
carrier substrate 721W and the upper and lower mold substrates 941
and 921. Therefore, it becomes possible to reduce a manufacturing
cost without wasting the material of the energy-curable resin
931.
[0301] Subsequently, in a state illustrated in E of FIG. 42, cure
treatment of the energy-curable resin 931 is performed. The
energy-curable resin 931 is cured when being supplied with heat or
UV light as energy and left for a predetermined time, for example.
During curing, deformation by shrinkage of the energy-curable resin
931 may be suppressed to minimum by pushing the mold substrate 941
downward or performing alignment.
[0302] In place of the energy-curable resin 931, a thermoplastic
resin may also be used. In this case, in the state illustrated in E
of FIG. 42, by raising temperature of the mold substrate 941 and
the mold substrate 921, the energy-curable resin 931 is molded into
the lens shape, and is cured by cooling.
[0303] Next, as illustrated in F of FIG. 42, the control device
which controls the positions of the mold substrate 941 and the mold
substrate 921 moves the mold substrate 941 upward and the mold
substrate 921 downward, so that the mold substrate 941 and the mold
substrate 921 are released from the carrier substrate 721W. When
the mold substrate 941 and the mold substrate 921 are released from
the carrier substrate 721W, the lens resin portion 722 is formed
inside the through-hole 723 of the carrier substrate 721W.
[0304] Note that, the surfaces of the mold substrate 941 and the
mold substrate 921 which come into contact with the carrier
substrate 721W may be coated with a fluorine-based or silicon-based
release agent, for example. By doing so, the carrier substrate 721W
may be easily released from the mold substrate 941 and the mold
substrate 921. Furthermore, as a method of easily releasing from a
contact surface with the carrier substrate 721W, various coatings
such as fluorine-containing diamond like carbon (DLC) may be
performed.
[0305] Next, as illustrated in G of FIG. 42, the upper surface
layer 801 is formed on the surfaces of the carrier substrate 721W
and the lens resin portion 722, and the lower surface layer 802 is
formed on the rear surfaces of the carrier substrate 721W and the
lens resin portion 722. Before and after the upper surface layer
801 and the lower surface layer 802 are formed, the front flat
portion 811 and the rear flat portion 812 of the carrier substrate
721W may be flattened by performing chemical mechanical polishing
(CMP) and the like as necessary.
[0306] As described above, it is possible to form the lens resin
portion 722 and manufacture the substrate with lens 701W in the
substrate state by imprinting (press-molding) the energy-curable
resin 931 using the mold substrate 941 and the mold substrate 921
in the through-hole 723 formed in the carrier substrate 721W.
[0307] The shapes of the mold 922 and the mold 942 are not limited
to the concave shapes described above, but are appropriately
determined according to the shape of the lens resin portion 722. As
illustrated in FIGS. 37 to 39, the lens shapes of the substrates
with lens 701a to 701e may take various shapes derived by optical
system design; for example, a biconvex shape, a biconcave shape, a
planoconvex shape, a planoconcave shape, a convex meniscus shape, a
concave meniscus shape, and further a higher-order aspherical shape
are available.
[0308] Furthermore, the shapes of the mold 922 and the mold 942 may
be such that the formed lens shape has a moth-eye structure.
[0309] According to the above-described manufacturing method,
fluctuation in distance in the planar direction between the lens
resin portions 722 due to cure shrinkage of the energy-curable
resin 931 may be cut off by intervention of the carrier substrate
721W, so that lens distance accuracy may be controlled with high
accuracy. Furthermore, there is an effect of reinforcing the
energy-curable resin 931 having low strength by the carrier
substrate 721W having high strength. Therefore, it is possible to
provide a lens array substrate in which a plurality of lenses
having excellent handling property is arranged, and there is an
effect of suppressing warpage of the lens array substrate.
[0310] The forming method of the mold 503 described with reference
to FIG. 11 may be adopted when forming the mold 922 and the mold
942 used in the manufacturing method of the substrate with lens
701W in the substrate state described above.
[0311] <16. Application Example to Electronic Device>
[0312] The above-described camera package 1 and camera module 700
may be used in a manner incorporated in an electronic device using
a camera package in an image capturing unit (photoelectric
conversion unit) such as an imaging device such as a digital still
camera and a video camera, a portable terminal device having an
imaging function, and a copying machine using a camera package in
an image reading unit.
[0313] FIG. 43 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration
example of an imaging device as an electronic device to which the
present disclosure is applied.
[0314] An imaging device 2000 in FIG. 43 is provided with a camera
module 2002 and a digital signal processor (DSP) circuit 2003 being
a camera signal processing circuit. Furthermore, the imaging device
2000 is also provided with a frame memory 2004, a display unit
2005, a recording unit 2006, an operating unit 2007, and a power
source unit 2008. The DSP circuit 2003, the frame memory 2004, the
display unit 2005, the recording unit 2006, the operating unit
2007, and the power source unit 2008 are connected to one another
through a bus line 2009.
[0315] An image sensor 2001 in the camera module 2002 captures
incident light (image light) from an object and converts a light
amount of the incident light an image of which is formed on an
imaging surface to an electric signal in a pixel unit to output as
a pixel signal. As the camera module 2002, the above-described
camera module 700 is adopted, and the image sensor 2001 corresponds
to the above-described solid-state imaging element 13. In a case
where the configuration of the camera package 1 is adopted as the
imaging unit of the imaging device 2000, the camera module 2002 is
replaced with the camera package 1.
[0316] The display unit 2005 formed by using a panel display device
such as a liquid crystal panel and an organic electro luminescence
(EL) panel, for example, displays a moving image or a still image
taken by the image sensor 2001. The recording unit 2006 records the
moving image or the still image taken by the image sensor 2001 in a
recording medium such as a hard disk and a semiconductor
memory.
[0317] The operating unit 2007 issues an operation command
regarding various functions of the imaging device 2000 under an
operation by a user. The power source unit 2008 appropriately
supplies various power sources serving as operation power sources
of the DSP circuit 2003, the frame memory 2004, the display unit
2005, the recording unit 2006, and the operating unit 2007 to
supply targets.
[0318] As described above, by using the camera module 700 equipped
with the stacked lens structure 702 aligned with high accuracy and
joined (stacked) as the camera module 2002, it is possible to
realize high image quality and downsizing. Therefore, it is
possible to make a semiconductor package compact and improve an
image quality of a taken image also in the imaging device 2000 such
as the video camera, the digital still camera, and further a camera
module for a mobile device such as a portable phone.
[0319] <Usage Example of Image Sensor>
[0320] FIG. 44 is a view illustrating a usage example of an image
sensor using the camera package 1 or the camera module 700
described above.
[0321] The image sensor using the camera package 1 or the camera
module 700 may be used in various cases for sensing light such as
visible light, infrared light, ultraviolet light, and X-ray as
described below, for example. [0322] A device which images an image
to be used for viewing such as a digital camera and a portable
device with a camera function [0323] A device for traffic purpose
such as an in-vehicle sensor which images the front, rear,
surroundings, interior and the like of an automobile, a monitoring
camera for monitoring traveling vehicles and roads, and a ranging
sensor which measures a distance between vehicles and the like for
safe driving such as automatic stop, recognition of a driver's
condition and the like [0324] A device for home appliance such as a
television, a refrigerator, and an air conditioner which images a
user's gesture and performs device operation according to the
gesture [0325] A device for medical and health care use such as an
endoscope and a device which performs angiography by receiving
infrared light [0326] A device for security use such as a security
monitoring camera and an individual certification camera [0327] A
device for beauty care such as a skin condition measuring device
which images skin and a microscope which images scalp [0328] A
device for sporting use such as an action camera and a wearable
camera for sporting use and the like [0329] A device for
agricultural use such as a camera for monitoring land and crop
states
[0330] <17. Application Example to In-Vivo Information Obtaining
System>
[0331] The technology according to the present disclosure (present
technology) is applicable to various products as described above.
For example, the technology according to the present disclosure may
be applied to an in-vivo information obtaining system of a patient
using a capsule endoscope.
[0332] FIG. 45 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a
schematic configuration of the in-vivo information obtaining system
of a patient using the capsule endoscope to which the technology
according to the present disclosure (the present technology) may be
applied.
[0333] An in-vivo information obtaining system 10001 includes a
capsule endoscope 10100 and an external control device 10200.
[0334] The capsule endoscope 10100 is swallowed by a patient at the
time of examination. The capsule endoscope 10100 has an imaging
function and a wireless communication function and sequentially
takes images in organs (hereinafter, also referred to as in-vivo
images) at a predetermined interval while moving in the organs such
as the stomach and the intestine by peristaltic movement and the
like until naturally discharged from the patient, and sequentially
wirelessly transmits information regarding the in-vivo images to
the external control device 10200 outside the body.
[0335] The external control device 10200 comprehensively controls
an operation of the in-vivo information obtaining system 10001.
Furthermore, the external control device 10200 receives information
regarding the in-vivo image transmitted from the capsule endoscope
10100, and generates image data for displaying the in-vivo image on
a display device (not illustrated) on the basis of the received
information regarding the in-vivo image.
[0336] In the in-vivo information obtaining system 10001, it is
possible to obtain as needed the in-vivo image obtained by imaging
a state in the patient's body from when the capsule endoscope 10100
is swallowed until this is discharged in this manner.
[0337] Configurations and functions of the capsule endoscope 10100
and external control device 10200 are described in further
detail.
[0338] The capsule endoscope 10100 includes a capsule-shaped casing
10101, and in the casing 10101, a light source unit 10111, an
imaging unit 10112, an image processing unit 10113, a wireless
communication unit 10114, a power feed unit 10115, a power source
unit 10116, and a control unit 10117 are accommodated.
[0339] The light source unit 10111 includes a light source such as,
for example, a light emitting diode (LED), and irradiates an
imaging visual field of the imaging unit 10112 with light.
[0340] The imaging unit 10112 includes an optical system including
an imaging element and a plurality of lenses provided on a
preceding stage of the imaging element. Reflected light
(hereinafter referred to as observation light) of the light applied
to body tissue to be observed is condensed by the optical system
and is incident on the imaging element. In the imaging unit 10112,
in the imaging element, the observation light incident thereon is
photoelectrically converted, and an image signal corresponding to
the observation light is generated. The image signal generated by
the imaging unit 10112 is provided to the image processing unit
10113.
[0341] The image processing unit 10113 includes a processor such as
a central processing unit (CPU) and a graphics processing unit
(GPU), and performs various types of signal processing on the image
signal generated by the imaging unit 10112. The image processing
unit 10113 provides the image signal subjected to the signal
processing to the wireless communication unit 10114 as RAW
data.
[0342] The wireless communication unit 10114 performs predetermined
processing such as modulation processing on the image signal
subjected to the signal processing by the image processing unit
10113 and transmits the image signal to the external control device
10200 via an antenna 10114A.
[0343] Furthermore, the wireless communication unit 10114 receives
a control signal regarding drive control of the capsule endoscope
10100 from the external control device 10200 via the antenna
10114A. The wireless communication unit 10114 provides the control
signal received from the external control device 10200 to the
control unit 10117.
[0344] The power feed unit 10115 includes an antenna coil for power
reception, a power regeneration circuit for regenerating electric
power from current generated in the antenna coil, a booster circuit
and the like. In the power feed unit 10115, electric power is
generated using a so-called non-contact charging principle.
[0345] The power source unit 10116 includes a secondary battery and
stores electric power generated by the power feed unit 10115. In
FIG. 45, for the sake of simplicity of the drawing, arrows and the
like indicating a supply destination of electric power from the
power source unit 10116 is not illustrated; however, the electric
power stored in the power source unit 10116 is supplied to the
light source unit 10111, the imaging unit 10112, the image
processing unit 10113, the wireless communication unit 10114, and
the control unit 10117, and may be used for driving them.
[0346] The control unit 10117 includes a processor such as a CPU
and appropriately controls drive of the light source unit 10111,
the imaging unit 10112, the image processing unit 10113, the
wireless communication unit 10114, and the power feed unit 10115
according to the control signal transmitted from the external
control device 10200.
[0347] The external control device 10200 includes a processor such
as a CPU and a GPU, or a microcomputer, a control substrate or the
like on which the processor and a storage element such as a memory
are mounted in a mixed manner. The external control device 10200
controls the operation of the capsule endoscope 10100 by
transmitting the control signal to the control unit 10117 of the
capsule endoscope 10100 through an antenna 10200A. In the capsule
endoscope 10100, for example, an irradiation condition of the light
to the observation target in the light source unit 10111 might be
changed by the control signal from the external control device
10200. Furthermore, an imaging condition (for example, a frame
rate, an exposure value and the like in the imaging unit 10112)
might be changed by the control signal from the external control
device 10200. Furthermore, a content of the processing in the image
processing unit 10113 and a condition (for example, transmission
interval, the number of transmitted images and the like) for the
wireless communication unit 10114 to transmit the image signal may
be changed by the control signal from the external control device
10200.
[0348] Furthermore, the external control device 10200 applies
various types of image processing to the image signal transmitted
from the capsule endoscope 10100 and generates image data for
displaying the taken in-vivo image on the display device. Examples
of the image processing includes, for example, various types of
signal processing such as development processing (demosaic
processing), high image quality processing (such as band
enhancement processing, super-resolution processing, noise
reduction (NR) processing, and/or camera shake correction
processing), and/or scaling processing (electronic zoom
processing). The external control device 10200 controls drive of
the display device to display the in-vivo image taken on the basis
of the generated image data. Alternatively, the external control
device 10200 may allow a recording device (not illustrated) to
record the generated image data or allow a printing device (not
illustrated) to print out the same.
[0349] An example of the in-vivo information obtaining system to
which the technology according to the present disclosure may be
applied is described above. The technology according to the present
disclosure may be applied to the imaging unit 10112 out of the
configurations described above. Specifically, the camera package 1
or the camera module 700 may be applied as the imaging unit 10112.
By applying the technology according to the present disclosure to
the imaging unit 10112, the capsule endoscope 10100 may be made
more compact, so that a burden on the patient may be further
reduced. Furthermore, a sharper surgical site image may be obtained
while making the capsule endoscope 10100 compact, so that accuracy
of examination is improved.
[0350] <18. Application Example to Endoscopic Surgery
System>
[0351] The technology according to the present disclosure may be
applied to, for example, an endoscopic surgery system.
[0352] FIG. 46 is a view illustrating an example of a schematic
configuration of the endoscopic surgery system to which the
technology according to the present disclosure may be applied.
[0353] FIG. 46 illustrates a state in which an operator (surgeon)
11131 performs surgery on a patient 11132 on a patient bed 11133 by
using an endoscopic surgery system 11000. As illustrated, the
endoscopic surgery system 11000 includes an endoscope 11100, other
surgical tools 11110 such as a pneumoperitoneum tube 11111 and an
energy treatment tool 11112, a support arm device 11120 which
supports the endoscope 11100, and a cart 11200 on which various
devices for endoscopic surgery are mounted.
[0354] The endoscope 11100 includes a lens tube 11101 a region of a
predetermined length from a distal end of which is inserted into a
body cavity of the patient 11132 and a camera head 11102 connected
to a proximal end of the lens tube 11101. In the illustrated
example, the endoscope 11100 configured as a so-called rigid scope
having a rigid lens tube 11101 is illustrated, but the endoscope
11100 may also be configured as a so-called flexible scope having a
flexible lens tube.
[0355] At the distal end of the lens tube 11101, an opening into
which an objective lens is fitted is provided. A light source
device 11203 is connected to the endoscope 11100 and light
generated by the light source device 11203 is guided to the distal
end of the lens tube by a light guide extending inside the lens
tube 11101, and applied to an observation target in the body cavity
of the patient 11132 via the objective lens. Note that, the
endoscope 11100 may be a forward-viewing endoscope, an
oblique-viewing endoscope, or a side-viewing endoscope.
[0356] An optical system and an imaging element are provided inside
the camera head 11102, and reflected light (observation light) from
the observation target is condensed on the imaging element by the
optical system. The observation light is photoelectrically
converted by the imaging element, and an electric signal
corresponding to the observation light, that is, an image signal
corresponding to an observation image is generated. The image
signal is transmitted as RAW data to a camera control unit (CCU)
11201.
[0357] The CCU 11201 is formed by using a central processing unit
(CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU) and the like, and
comprehensively controls operation of the endoscope 11100 and the
display device 11202. Moreover, the CCU 11201 receives the image
signal from the camera head 11102 and applies various types of
image processing for displaying an image based on the image signal,
for example, development processing (demosaic processing) and the
like on the image signal.
[0358] The display device 11202 displays the image based on the
image signal subjected to the image processing by the CCU 11201
under the control of the CCU 11201.
[0359] The light source device 11203 includes a light source such
as, for example, a light emitting diode (LED), and supplies the
endoscope 11100 with irradiation light for imaging a surgical site
and the like.
[0360] An input device 11204 is an input interface to the
endoscopic surgery system 11000. The user may input various types
of information and instructions to the endoscopic surgery system
11000 via the input device 11204. For example, the user inputs an
instruction and the like to change an imaging condition (type of
irradiation light, magnification, focal length and the like) by the
endoscope 11100.
[0361] A treatment tool control device 11205 controls drive of the
energy treatment tool 11112 for tissue cauterization, incision,
blood vessel sealing and the like. A pneumoperitoneum device 11206
injects gas into the body cavity via the pneumoperitoneum tube
11111 to inflate the body cavity of the patient 11132 for the
purpose of securing a visual field by the endoscope 11100 and
securing a working space of the operator. A recorder 11207 is a
device capable of recording various types of information regarding
surgery. A printer 11208 is a device capable of printing various
types of information regarding surgery in various formats such as
text, image, or graph.
[0362] Note that, the light source device 11203 for supplying the
irradiation light for imaging the surgical site to the endoscope
11100 may include, for example, an LED, a laser light source, or a
white light source obtained by combining them. Since output
intensity and output timing of each color (each wavelength) may be
controlled with high accuracy in a case where the white light
source is configured by the combination of RGB laser light sources,
the light source device 11203 may adjust white balance of the taken
image. Furthermore, in this case, by irradiating the observation
target with the laser light from each of the RGB laser light
sources in time division manner and controlling the drive of the
imaging element of the camera head 11102 in synchronism with the
irradiation timing, it is possible to take images corresponding to
RGB in time division manner. According to this method, a color
image may be obtained without providing a color filter in the
imaging element.
[0363] Furthermore, the drive of the light source device 11203 may
be controlled such that the intensity of light to be output is
changed every predetermined time. By controlling the drive of the
imaging element of the camera head 11102 in synchronization with
the timing of the change of the light intensity to obtain images in
a time division manner and combining the images, an image of a high
dynamic range without so-called black defect and halation may be
generated.
[0364] Furthermore, the light source device 11203 may be configured
to be able to supply light of a predetermined wavelength band
corresponding to special light observation. In the special light
observation, for example, by applying light of a narrower band than
that of the irradiation light (in other words, white light) at
ordinary observation by utilizing wavelength dependency of
absorption of light in the body tissue, so-called narrow band
imaging is performed in which predetermined tissue such as the
blood vessel in the mucosal surface layer is imaged with high
contrast. Alternatively, in the special light observation,
fluorescent observation for obtaining an image by fluorescence
generated by irradiation of excitation light may be performed. In
the fluorescent observation, it is possible to irradiate the body
tissue with excitation light to observe fluorescence from the body
tissue (autonomous fluorescent observation) or to locally inject a
reagent such as indocyanine green (ICG) to the body tissue and
irradiate the body tissue with excitation light corresponding to a
fluorescent wavelength of the reagent, thereby obtaining a
fluorescent image, for example. The light source device 11203 may
be configured to be able to supply the narrow band light and/or
excitation light corresponding to such special light
observation.
[0365] FIG. 47 is a block diagram illustrating an example of
functional configurations of the camera head 11102 and the CCU
11201 illustrated in FIG. 46.
[0366] The camera head 11102 includes a lens unit 11401, an imaging
unit 11402, a driving unit 11403, a communication unit 11404, and a
camera head control unit 11405. The CCU 11201 includes a
communication unit 11411, an image processing unit 11412, and a
control unit 11413. The camera head 11102 and the CCU 11201 are
connected to each other so as to be able to communicate by a
transmission cable 11400.
[0367] The lens unit 11401 is an optical system provided at a
connection to the lens tube 11101. The observation light taken in
from the distal end of the lens tube 11101 is guided to the camera
head 11102 and is incident on the lens unit 11401. The lens unit
11401 is configured by combining a plurality of lenses including a
zoom lens and a focus lens.
[0368] The imaging unit 11402 includes an imaging element. The
imaging element forming the imaging unit 11402 may be one (a
so-called single plate type) or plural (so-called multiple plate
type). In a case where the imaging unit 11402 is of the
multiple-plate type, for example, the image signals corresponding
to RGB may be generated by the respective imaging elements, and a
color image may be obtained by combining them.
[0369] Alternatively, the imaging unit 11402 may include a pair of
imaging elements for obtaining right-eye and left-eye image signals
corresponding to three-dimensional (3D) display. By the 3D display,
the operator 11131 may grasp a depth of the living tissue in the
surgical site more accurately. Note that, in a case where the
imaging unit 11402 is of the multiple-plate type, a plurality of
systems of lens units 11401 may be provided so as to correspond to
the respective imaging elements.
[0370] Furthermore, the imaging unit 11402 is not necessarily
provided on the camera head 11102. For example, the imaging unit
11402 may be provided inside the lens tube 11101 immediately after
the objective lens.
[0371] The driving unit 11403 includes an actuator and moves the
zoom lens and the focus lens of the lens unit 11401 by a
predetermined distance along an optical axis under the control of
the camera head control unit 11405. Therefore, the magnification
and focal point of the image taken by the imaging unit 11402 may be
appropriately adjusted.
[0372] The communication unit 11404 includes a communication device
for transmitting and receiving various types of information to and
from the CCU 11201. The communication unit 11404 transmits the
image signal obtained from the imaging unit 11402 as the RAW data
to the CCU 11201 via the transmission cable 11400.
[0373] Furthermore, the communication unit 11404 receives a control
signal for controlling the drive of the camera head 11102 from the
CCU 11201 and supplies the same to the camera head control unit
11405. The control signal includes, for example, information
regarding imaging conditions such as information specifying a frame
rate of the taken image, information specifying an exposure value
at the time of imaging, and/or information specifying the
magnification and focal point of the taken image.
[0374] Note that, the imaging conditions such as the
above-described frame rate, exposure value, magnification, and
focal point may be appropriately specified by the user or
automatically set by the control unit 11413 of the CCU 11201 on the
basis of the obtained image signal. In the latter case, the
endoscope 11100 is equipped with a so-called auto exposure (AE)
function, an auto focus (AF) function, and an auto white balance
(AWB) function.
[0375] The camera head control unit 11405 controls the drive of the
camera head 11102 on the basis of the control signal from the CCU
11201 received via the communication unit 11404.
[0376] The communication unit 11411 includes a communication device
for transmitting and receiving various types of information to and
from the camera head 11102. The communication unit 11411 receives
the image signal transmitted from the camera head 11102 via the
transmission cable 11400.
[0377] Furthermore, the communication unit 11411 transmits the
control signal for controlling the drive of the camera head 11102
to the camera head 11102. The image signal and the control signal
may be transmitted by electric communication, optical communication
and the like.
[0378] The image processing unit 11412 performs various types of
image processing on the image signal which is the RAW data
transmitted from the camera head 11102.
[0379] The control unit 11413 performs various types of control
regarding imaging of the surgical site and the like by the
endoscope 11100 and display of the taken image obtained by imaging
the surgical site and the like. For example, the control unit 11413
generates the control signal for controlling drive of the camera
head 11102.
[0380] Furthermore, the control unit 11413 allows the display
device 11202 to display the taken image of the surgical site and
the like on the basis of the image signal subjected to the image
processing by the image processing unit 11412. At that time, the
control unit 11413 may recognize various objects in the taken image
using various image recognition technologies. For example, the
control unit 11413 may detect a shape, a color and the like of an
edge of the object included in the taken image, thereby recognizing
the surgical tool such as forceps, the specific living-body site,
bleeding, mist when using the energy treatment tool 11112 and the
like. When allowing the display device 11202 to display the taken
image, the control unit 11413 may superimpose to display various
types of surgery support information on the image of the surgical
site using a recognition result. The surgery support information is
superimposed to be displayed, and presented to the operator 11131,
so that it becomes possible to reduce the burden on the operator
11131 and enable the operator 11131 to reliably proceed with
surgery.
[0381] The transmission cable 11400 connecting the camera head
11102 and the CCU 11201 is an electric signal cable corresponding
to communication of electric signals, an optical fiber compatible
with optical communication, or a composite cable thereof.
[0382] Here, in the illustrated example, the communication is
performed by wire using the transmission cable 11400, but the
communication between the camera head 11102 and the CCU 11201 may
be performed wirelessly.
[0383] An example of the endoscopic surgery system to which the
technology according to the present disclosure may be applied is
described above. The technology according to the present disclosure
may be applied to the imaging unit 11402 of the camera head 11102
out of the configurations described above. Specifically, the camera
package 1 or the camera module 700 may be applied as the imaging
unit 11402. By applying the technology according to the present
disclosure to the imaging unit 11402, it is possible to obtain a
sharper surgical site image while making the camera head 11102
compact.
[0384] Note that, the endoscopic surgery system is herein described
as an example, but in addition to this, the technology according to
the present disclosure may be applied to a microscopic surgery
system and the like, for example.
[0385] <19. Application Example to Mobile Body>
[0386] Moreover, for example, the technology according to the
present disclosure may also be realized as a device mounted on any
type of mobile body such as an automobile, an electric automobile,
a hybrid electric automobile, a motorcycle, a bicycle, a personal
mobility, an airplane, a drone, a ship, and a robot, for
example.
[0387] FIG. 48 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic
configuration example of a vehicle control system which is an
example of a mobile body control system to which the technology
according to the present disclosure may be applied.
[0388] A vehicle control system 12000 is provided with a plurality
of electronic control units connected to one another via a
communication network 12001. In the example illustrated in FIG. 48,
the vehicle control system 12000 is provided with a drive system
control unit 12010, a body system control unit 12020, a vehicle
exterior information detecting unit 12030, a vehicle interior
information detecting unit 12040, and an integrated control unit
12050. Furthermore, a microcomputer 12051, an audio image output
unit 12052, and an in-vehicle network interface (I/F) 12053 are
illustrated as functional configurations of the integrated control
unit 12050.
[0389] The drive system control unit 12010 controls operation of
devices regarding a drive system of a vehicle according to various
programs. For example, the drive system control unit 12010 serves
as a control device of a driving force generating device for
generating driving force of the vehicle such as an internal
combustion engine and a driving motor, a driving force transmitting
mechanism for transmitting the driving force to wheels, a steering
mechanism for adjusting a rudder angle of the vehicle, a braking
device for generating braking force of the vehicle and the
like.
[0390] The body system control unit 12020 controls operation of
various devices mounted on a vehicle body in accordance with the
various programs. For example, the body system control unit 12020
serves as a control device of a keyless entry system, a smart key
system, a power window device, or various lights such as a head
light, a backing light, a brake light, a blinker, or a fog light.
In this case, a radio wave transmitted from a portable device which
substitutes for a key or signals of various switches may be input
to the body system control unit 12020. The body system control unit
12020 receives an input of the radio wave or signals and controls a
door lock device, a power window device, the lights and the like of
the vehicle.
[0391] The vehicle exterior information detecting unit 12030
detects information outside the vehicle on which the vehicle
control system 12000 is mounted. For example, an imaging unit 12031
is connected to the vehicle exterior information detecting unit
12030. The vehicle exterior information detecting unit 12030 allows
the imaging unit 12031 to take an image of the exterior of the
vehicle and receives the taken image. The vehicle exterior
information detecting unit 12030 may perform detection processing
of objects such as a person, a vehicle, an obstacle, a sign, or a
character on a road surface or distance detection processing on the
basis of the received image.
[0392] The imaging unit 12031 is an optical sensor which receives
light and outputs an electric signal corresponding to an amount of
the received light. The imaging unit 12031 may output the electric
signal as an image or output the same as ranging information.
Furthermore, the light received by the imaging unit 12031 may be
visible light or invisible light such as infrared light.
[0393] The vehicle interior information detecting unit 12040
detects information in the vehicle. The vehicle interior
information detecting unit 12040 is connected to, for example, a
driver state detecting unit 12041 for detecting a state of a
driver. The driver state detecting unit 12041 includes, for
example, a camera which images the driver, and the vehicle interior
information detecting unit 12040 may calculate a driver's fatigue
level or concentration level or may determine whether or not the
driver is not dozing on the basis of detection information input
from the driver state detecting unit 12041.
[0394] The microcomputer 12051 may calculate a control target value
of the driving force generating device, the steering mechanism, or
the braking device on the basis of the information inside and
outside the vehicle obtained by the vehicle exterior information
detecting unit 12030 or the vehicle interior information detecting
unit 12040, and output a control command to the drive system
control unit 12010. For example, the microcomputer 12051 may
perform cooperative control for realizing functions of an advanced
driver assistance system (ADAS) including collision avoidance or
impact attenuation of the vehicle, following travel based on a
distance between the vehicles, vehicle speed maintaining travel,
vehicle collision warning, vehicle lane departure warning or the
like.
[0395] Furthermore, the microcomputer 12051 may perform the
cooperative control for realizing automatic driving and the like to
autonomously travel independent from the operation of the driver by
controlling the driving force generating device, the steering
mechanism, the braking device or the like on the basis of the
information around the vehicle obtained by the vehicle exterior
information detecting unit 12030 or the vehicle interior
information detecting unit 12040.
[0396] Furthermore, the microcomputer 12051 may output the control
command to the body system control unit 12020 on the basis of the
information outside the vehicle obtained by the vehicle exterior
information detecting unit 12030. For example, the microcomputer
12051 may perform the cooperative control to realize glare
protection such as controlling the head light according to a
position of a preceding vehicle or an oncoming vehicle detected by
the vehicle exterior information detecting unit 12030 to switch a
high beam to a low beam.
[0397] The audio image output unit 12052 transmits at least one of
audio or image output signal to an output device capable of
visually or audibly notifying an occupant of the vehicle or the
outside the vehicle of the information. In the example in FIG. 48,
as the output device, an audio speaker 12061, a display unit 12062,
and an instrument panel 12063 are illustrated. The display unit
12062 may include at least one of an on-board display or a head-up
display, for example.
[0398] FIG. 49 is a view illustrating an example of an installation
position of the imaging unit 12031.
[0399] In FIG. 49, the vehicle 12100 includes imaging units 12101,
12102, 12103, 12104, and 12105 as the imaging unit 12031.
[0400] The imaging units 12101, 12102, 12103, 12104, and 12105 are
provided in positions such as, for example, a front nose, a side
mirror, a rear bumper, a rear door, and an upper portion of a front
windshield in a vehicle interior of the vehicle 12100. The imaging
unit 12101 provided on the front nose and the imaging unit 12105
provided in the upper portion of the front windshield in the
vehicle interior principally obtain images in front of the vehicle
12100. The imaging units 12102 and 12103 provided on the side
mirrors principally obtain images of the sides of the vehicle
12100. The imaging unit 12104 provided on the rear bumper or the
rear door principally obtains an image behind the vehicle 12100.
The images in front obtained by the imaging units 12101 and 12105
are principally used for detecting the preceding vehicle, a
pedestrian, an obstacle, a traffic signal, a traffic sign, a lane
or the like.
[0401] Note that, in FIG. 49, an example of imaging ranges of the
imaging units 12101 to 12104 is illustrated. An imaging range 12111
indicates the imaging range of the imaging unit 12101 provided on
the front nose, imaging ranges 12112 and 12113 indicate the imaging
ranges of the imaging units 12102 and 12103 provided on the side
mirrors, and an imaging range 12114 indicates the imaging range of
the imaging unit 12104 provided on the rear bumper or the rear
door. For example, image data taken by the imaging units 12101 to
12104 are superimposed, so that an overlooking image of the vehicle
12100 as seen from above is obtained.
[0402] At least one of the imaging units 12101 to 12104 may have a
function of obtaining distance information. For example, at least
one of the imaging units 12101 to 12104 may be a stereo camera
including a plurality of imaging elements, or may be an imaging
element including pixels for phase difference detection.
[0403] For example, the microcomputer 12051 may extract especially
a closest solid object on a traveling path of the vehicle 12100, a
solid object traveling at a predetermined speed (for example, 0
km/h or higher) in a direction substantially the same as that of
the vehicle 12100 as the preceding vehicle by obtaining a distance
to each solid object in the imaging ranges 12111 to 12114 and
change in time of the distance (relative speed relative to the
vehicle 12100) on the basis of the distance information obtained
from the imaging units 12101 to 12104. Moreover, the microcomputer
12051 may set in advance the distance between the vehicles to be
secured from the preceding vehicle, and may perform automatic brake
control (including following stop control), automatic acceleration
control (including following start control) and the like. In this
manner, it is possible to perform the cooperative control for
realizing the automatic driving and the like to autonomously travel
independent from the operation of the driver.
[0404] For example, the microcomputer 12051 may extract solid
object data regarding the solid object while sorting the same into
a motorcycle, a standard vehicle, a large-sized vehicle, a
pedestrian, and other solid objects such as a utility pole on the
basis of the distance information obtained from the imaging units
12101 to 12104 and use for automatically avoiding obstacles. For
example, the microcomputer 12051 discriminates the obstacles around
the vehicle 12100 into an obstacle visible to a driver of the
vehicle 12100 and an obstacle difficult to see. Then, the
microcomputer 12051 determines a collision risk indicating a degree
of risk of collision with each obstacle, and when the collision
risk is equal to or higher than a set value and there is a
possibility of collision, this may perform driving assistance for
avoiding the collision by outputting an alarm to the driver via the
audio speaker 12061 and the display unit 12062 or performing forced
deceleration or avoidance steering via the drive system control
unit 12010.
[0405] At least one of the imaging units 12101 to 12104 may be an
infrared camera for detecting infrared rays. For example, the
microcomputer 12051 may recognize a pedestrian by determining
whether or not there is the pedestrian in the images taken by the
imaging units 12101 to 12104. Such pedestrian recognition is
carried out, for example, by a procedure of extracting feature
points in the images taken by the imaging units 12101 to 12104 as
the infrared cameras and a procedure of performing pattern matching
processing on a series of feature points indicating an outline of
an object to discriminate whether or not this is the pedestrian.
When the microcomputer 12051 determines that there is the
pedestrian in the images taken by the imaging units 12101 to 12104
and recognizes the pedestrian, the audio image output unit 12052
controls the display unit 12062 to superimpose to display a
rectangular contour for emphasis on the recognized pedestrian.
Furthermore, the audio image output unit 12052 may control the
display unit 12062 to display an icon and the like indicating the
pedestrian at a desired position.
[0406] An example of the vehicle control system to which the
technology according to the present disclosure may be applied is
described above. The technology according to the present disclosure
may be applied to the imaging unit 12031 out of the configurations
described above. Specifically, the camera package 1 or the camera
module 700 may be applied as the imaging unit 12031. By applying
the technology according to the present disclosure to the imaging
unit 12031, it is possible to obtain a more easily-viewed taken
image and obtain distance information while reducing the size.
Furthermore, it is possible to reduce driver fatigue and increase a
degree of safety of the driver and the vehicle by using the
obtained taken image and distance information.
[0407] Furthermore, the present disclosure is applicable not only
to molding of the lens (lens resin part) included in the camera
package, but also to general imprinting in which a resin is molded
using a mold.
[0408] The embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited to
the above-described embodiments and may be variously changed
without departing from the gist of the present disclosure.
[0409] For example, it is possible to adopt a combination of all or
some of a plurality of embodiments described above.
[0410] Note that, the effects described in this specification are
illustrative only and are not limited; the effects other than those
described in this specification may also be included.
[0411] Note that, the present disclosure may also have the
following configuration.
[0412] (1)
[0413] A manufacturing method of a camera package, including:
[0414] forming a high-contact angle film around a lens forming
region on an upper side of a transparent substrate that protects a
solid-state imaging element;
[0415] dropping a lens material in the lens forming region on the
upper side of the transparent substrate; and
[0416] molding the dropped lens material by a mold to form a
lens.
[0417] (2)
[0418] The manufacturing method of the camera package according to
(1) described above,
[0419] in which the high-contact angle film is a film having a
larger contact angle than a contact angle of the transparent
substrate.
[0420] (3)
[0421] The manufacturing method of the camera package according to
(1) or (2) described above, including:
[0422] forming an adhesion promoter on an upper surface of the
transparent substrate; and
[0423] forming the high-contact angle film around the lens forming
region on the adhesion promoter.
[0424] (4)
[0425] The manufacturing method of the camera package according to
(3) described above,
[0426] in which the high-contact angle film is a film having a
larger contact angle than a contact angle of the adhesion
promoter.
[0427] (5)
[0428] The manufacturing method of the camera package according to
any one of (1) to (4) described above, further including:
[0429] forming an anti-reflection film on upper surfaces of the
formed lens and the high-contact angle film around the lens.
[0430] (6)
[0431] A camera package including:
[0432] a solid-state imaging element;
[0433] a lens formed on an upper side of a transparent substrate
that protects the solid-state imaging element; and
[0434] a high-contact angle film formed around the lens on the
upper side of the transparent substrate.
[0435] (7)
[0436] The camera package according to (6) described above,
[0437] in which the high-contact angle film is a film having a
larger contact angle than a contact angle of the transparent
substrate.
[0438] (8)
[0439] The camera package according to (6) or (7) described
above,
[0440] in which the high-contact angle film is formed on the
transparent substrate.
[0441] (9)
[0442] The camera package according to (6) or (7) described above,
further including:
[0443] an adhesion promoter on the transparent substrate,
[0444] in which the high-contact angle film and the lens are formed
on the adhesion promoter.
[0445] (10)
[0446] The camera package according to (6) or (7) described above,
further including:
[0447] an IR cut filter on the transparent substrate,
[0448] in which the high-contact angle film and the lens are formed
on the IR cut filter.
[0449] (11)
[0450] The camera package according to any one of (6) to (10)
described above, further including:
[0451] an anti-reflection film on upper surfaces of the
high-contact angle film and the lens.
[0452] (12)
[0453] An electronic device including:
[0454] a camera package including
[0455] a solid-state imaging element,
[0456] a lens formed on an upper side of a transparent substrate
that protects the solid-state imaging element, and
[0457] a high-contact angle film formed around the lens on the
upper side of the transparent substrate; and
[0458] a lens module including one or more substrates with lens
arranged above the camera package.
[0459] Furthermore, the present disclosure may also have the
following configuration.
[0460] (B1)
[0461] A mold including:
[0462] an abutting portion which abuts a substrate when a resin
material on the substrate is molded into a predetermined shape,
[0463] in which a space for the resin material to externally flow
in/out is formed in a state in which the abutting portion abuts the
substrate.
[0464] (B2)
[0465] The mold according to (B1) described above including
[0466] three or more columnar bodies as the abutting portion.
[0467] (B3)
[0468] The mold according to (B1) or (B2) described above,
[0469] in which the abutting portion is arranged on an inner side
of an outer peripheral portion in a plan view.
[0470] (B4)
[0471] The mold according to any one of (B1) to (B3) described
above,
[0472] in which the columnar body has a cylindrical shape or a
polygonal shape.
[0473] (B5)
[0474] The mold according to any one of (B1) to (B3) described
above,
[0475] in which the columnar body has a conical shape or a
polygonal pyramid shape.
[0476] (B6)
[0477] The mold according to any one of (B1) to (B5) described
above,
[0478] in which a shape of a tip end of the abutting portion which
comes into contact with the substrate is substantially
spherical.
[0479] (B7)
[0480] The mold according to any one of (B1) to (B5) described
above,
[0481] in which a shape of a tip end of the abutting portion which
comes into contact with the substrate is a polygonal pyramid shape
or a conical shape.
[0482] (B8)
[0483] The mold according to any one of (B1) to (B4) described
above,
[0484] in which the abutting portion is configured to come into
surface contact with the substrate.
[0485] (B9)
[0486] The mold according to any one of (B1) to (B7) described
above,
[0487] in which the abutting portion is configured to come into
contact with the substrate at a point.
[0488] (B10)
[0489] The mold according to any one of (B1) to (B9) described
above,
[0490] in which a light-shielding film is formed in a partial
region.
[0491] (B11)
[0492] A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device
including:
[0493] a step of pressing a mold against a resin material on a
substrate, transferring a shape of the mold to the resin material,
and forming a lens resin portion;
[0494] in which the mold includes an abutting portion which abuts
the substrate when the resin material on the substrate is molded
into a predetermined shape, and
[0495] a space is formed for the resin material to externally flow
in/out in a state in which the abutting portion abuts the
substrate.
[0496] (B12)
[0497] The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according
to (B11) described above, including
[0498] bonding the substrate on which the lens resin portion is
formed to a semiconductor substrate on which a pixel which converts
incident light into an electric signal is formed.
[0499] (B13)
[0500] The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according
to (B11) described above, including:
[0501] dropping a resin material on the substrate bonded to a
semiconductor substrate on which a pixel which converts incident
light into an electric signal is formed, pressing the mold to
transfer a shape of the mold to the resin material, and forming the
lens resin portion.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0502] 1 Camera package [0503] 11 First structure (upper structure)
[0504] 12 Second structure (lower structure) [0505] 13 Solid-state
imaging element [0506] 14 External terminal [0507] 18 Protection
substrate [0508] 19 Lens resin portion [0509] 20 High-contact angle
film [0510] 501 Lens material [0511] 503 Mold [0512] 571 Adhesion
promoter [0513] 572 Anti-reflection film [0514] 602 Lens material
[0515] 603 Mold [0516] 611 Abutting portion [0517] 612
Light-shielding film [0518] 661 Abutting portion [0519] 662
Light-shielding film [0520] 671 Guide portion [0521] 700 Camera
module [0522] 701 Substrate with lens [0523] 702 Stacked lens
structure [0524] 703 Optical unit [0525] 722 Lens resin portion
[0526] 723 Through-hole [0527] 921 Mold substrate [0528] 922 Mold
[0529] 941 Mold substrate [0530] 942 Mold [0531] 2000 Imaging
device [0532] 2001 Image sensor [0533] 2002 Camera module
* * * * *